Lost in Time
by ourevel
Summary: And if at the end of the Mahora festival Chao did not go away? Indeed, in truth she also tries to leave, but Cassiopeia suddenly starts acting strangely ... Negi, Chao, and other of his students are thrown into a long and dangerous journey to their home.
1. Prolugue - Bye bye Mahora!

**Well ... What can I say?**  
**This is my first fanfiction, I hope to have you satisfied for now, with this little chapter.**  
**I can imagine it's a bit short, but it should only give the incipit to the whole story.**  
**I checked my spelling countless times, and I hope that it is correct (unfortunately English is not my native language), so I apologize in advance for any lack in the grammar.**

**That said ... well, I sincerely hope in comments (although for now I know that is a bit premature), and gladly accept constructive criticism.**

**finally ... I hope to be able to write to the PC the next chapters soon, maybe in a few days, but it all depends on the free time XD**

**at the next one!**

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Prologue – "Bye Bye Mahora!"

Chao peaceful smiled at her little teacher "Thank you, little Negi!".  
The battle for The World Tree had just ended. The faces of the two main contenders was irradiated by the white light emitted by the enormous plant.  
As she had expected since he had sensed his determination, she had lost. Her project, carefully planned for two long, and painfully happy years had just gone up in smoke.

But she was not too disappointed. Its aim had reached equally, even if unexpectedly. She told him.  
That little boy of ten years, with reddish hair and look determined to make her stay, she had surprised.

He looked at her dejected "Wait..." he began.

"No. It makes no more sense to stay in this time, by now... But do not worry: we'll meet again!" the girl said turning on Cassiopeia, a large pocket watch completely gilded, with a dial definitely singular: in fact it had engraved above the alchemical symbols of the planets inside the circle of the constellations as well as various other arcane symbols.  
A strong light began to leak from the circle of menhirs below them, while a large magic circle appeared over their heads.

Crick.

Chao sensed this slight sound coming from the hand that held the device. She threw a glance over it, immediately followed by the appearance of a large drop of sweat on her forehead.

In the machinery was opening a small crack, from which now flowed even a low whistle.  
The magic circle started to sway as if it was the reflection of the moon on the water, and then stabilized a few moments later with a giant roar, colored of a bright red.  
The sound was followed by a shock wave strong enough to hurl down all the attendees, including Negi and the Chinese girl, causing them to fall from their pedestals.  
The ground began to shake, sparking panic among those present.

-Damn! I can't turn it off! But what the hell is going on?- Chao was thinking frantically, committed to tinker with Cassiopeia, whose crack continued to widen in the midst of all that chaos.

"Guys ...? W-why are you g-glowing?" she asked timidly after having given a quick look around in search of Hakase.

"Uh?" Negi looked around, only to lay eyes on his hands.  
It was true, he and Setsuna, Chisame, Chachamaru, Kotaro that the same Chao had begun to glow with an eerie crimson light, of increasing intensity.

"Er ... Chao ... What's going on? " hazarded Hakase, more frightened than curious about those events" And why are you glowing too? ".

"Ah ... I ... I have no idea ... "started to respond with a nervous smile the genius of Mahora, returning to observe the time machine.  
Something similar to a sharp snap resounded in the air, after which Chao felt like the feeling of being raised.

Effectively she was rising from the ground, and looking around she noticed that even the other 'enlightened' were suffering the same fate: a desperate Setsuna was trying to cling to his childhood friend-protected, who seemed quite amused by the scene; Chachamaru was watching herself with curious expression; Chisame was fidgeting like crazy, ranting things about the impossibility of what was happening, while Negi, who seemed more scared than anything else, was looking around with lost air.

Their companions remained on the ground looked on quizzically, with no idea how to react.

"Uh, guys ... this ... it should not do, ne! "Chao murmured with a drizzle of voice.

As they arrived at about ten meters above the ground, they stopped. Then, with a blinding flash from the magic circle, they disappeared.

"B-but, where are they?" Wondered Asuna after a few moments, as if waking from a daydream "That is ... Chao should not have been, or at least only does she have to disappear?".

"Even my Secchan is gone ... phew! Where will she go?" Konoka said annoyed, soon after.

Shaking her head, Asuna turned to Hakase, still staring at the spot where were  
suspended shortly before her classmates and their teacher.

"Listen ... I do not understand anything of this stuff, but can you tell me where's the brat along with our classmates?"

"Er ... no. "simply replied the girl softly, not looking away.

Meanwhile, even the teachers had arrived, attracted by the roar and light.  
Seeing the girls in the chaos, they tried to calm them and find the motive of that turmoil.  
Takamichi, first to arrive since it was nearby, listened concentrated all the reports of the girls, approaching then to Akase.

"Sorry Hakase, but the one described by you and your classmates seem quite complex and ancient a form of teleportation. If so, you would not have a way to track them down?"

Pulling out her cell phone the inventor tried to dial the number of her friend disappeared.

"I do not know professor ... Chao's cell phone is unreachable ..." she broke off suddenly to pull a slap on her forehead "...But of course! Chachamaru! She has a device for satellite tracking!".

Told this she began to open various holographic screens in front of her, passing quickly data and information.

"That's it! You was right, Professor! I found her! She is located ..." she continued looking at the coordinates "She is ... hmm ... that's weird." she frowned "There must be a mistake... The data indicate that she is... in Istanbul!"

-end prologue-


	2. Chapter 1 - New Encounters

Chapter 1 - New Encounters

Dark. Darkness and silence.

An impenetrable black wrapped Lin Sheng Chao.  
For the first time in her life she felt truly confused, disoriented. Indeed, only now she understood: scared.

After what seemed an eternity of that silent darkness there was a flash.  
Colors, sounds and sensations tore her from that limbo like a river in flood.

She was falling. She could feel the wind on the skin and something wet well as cold, whipping her face, probably rain.  
She smiled at the irony of fate. Within a few hours she was living for the second time the same situation.

Not far from her she saw his companions in misfortune: Negi was babbling a spell, Chachamaru was activating the thrusters grabbing Chisame while Setsuna and Kotaro slowed the fall with wings and magic.

The girl felt herself seized by the arms. Negi had reached her thanks to his magic stick and effortlessly hoisted her over it, as if she weighed nothing.

"Phew ... for a nap!" Remarked the teacher covering the few yards that separated them from the ground.

"But... but where are we?" he continued, looking around "We have perhaps watched you over your time? Yet this does not seem the Mahora...".

"No. It is not ... I believe. I ... I do not remember a place like this. "said Lin Sheng.

They were in a small clearing, surrounded by a dense and intricate as dark forest.  
A cold and persistent rain beating down on all of them, as the first rays of a pale sun shone without heating the cold air.

Chao looked at Cassiopeia, still clutched in her fist. It was motionless, a big crack across it from side to side, it definitely was unusable.

"So where are we now? And where are the rest of our classmates?" Setsuna interjected by portraying her white wings, before something attracted her attention.

A deer was lying motionless at the limit of the clearing, with something stuck in his side.  
Immediately Setsuna took the guard position with one hand on the katana, looking warily around. Kotaro also seemed tense.  
At their reaction Negi as well seemed to focus, whispering a few words.

"Setsuna! To your right, about twenty yards, behind that big bush!" he exclaimed after a moment.

Like a bolt snapped in the direction indicated to her the Shinmei and after having dipped behind the shrub could be heard the muffled sounds of a scuffle for about ten seconds.

"All right Professor!" they heard Setsuna call in the end.

Chisame was astonished of the responsiveness of her companions: as it was mentioned a danger Chachamaru set itself before her by dragging a surprised Chao behind him as, with incredible rapidity, Kotaro flanked Negi, wary.

The swordswoman emerged from the bush: she was dragging along, holding it immobilized, a figure that when she came close to her friends, she freed.  
This, found itself without impediments, tried to escape as quickly as possible in the opposite direction to Setsuna, but in the run bumped violently against Negi, ending up on the ground alongside the latter.

Now that it was firm and quite visible, the figure turned out to be a boy, maybe sixteen, with tousled blondish hair and wearing some simple clothes of rough workmanship, while a big haversack, a dagger and a quiver hung from his shoulder.

"Wha! Please! Do not eat me! Do not eat me! I'm not tasty, you know...?" He began to stammer seeing himself surrounded, curled up on itself and began to sway slowly.

The six boys from Mahora exchanged a questioning glance: the boy spoke in an English rather chewed. Only Negi and Chao seemed to have understood his words without any problems.

"There ... I think there was a misunderstanding" Negi hazarded after a few seconds, getting up" Here no one has the slightest intention to eat, much less to hurt you! Er..." he cleared his throat "I am Negi, I'm a professor you know? They are some of my students and this is my friend."

The boy froze, looking suspicious "You. .. do not want to eat me? "

"No! People are not among our favorite foods, especially" Negi said ironically "those we know, so... how about you tell us what's your name?" he finished smiling followed by signs of assent of his companions.

The boy looked at them with eyes still wary, but seemed to relax a little.

"William. My name is William August Springfield. So... you are not demons? You're not trying to deceive me with devilish tricks and then make me your slave?".

"Absolutely not!" Horrified Negi "What a coincidence! I also do surname Springfield! So these are Chao Lin Sheng, Chisame Hasegawa, Setsuna Sakurazaki,-do not hide... she will not make you nothing left, you can stay quiet - Chachamaru Karakuri and Kotaro Inugami." Negi presented one by one the people present.

"Now, William August Springfield, could you kindly tell us where we are?"

He looked at them with a frown somewhere between surprised and embarrassed "William. Just call me William... and, well... we are in the county of Westford, in the great land of Wales!" he said with pride " But how you got there? What was that huge drawing in the sky ...?"

A ringing note echoed in the air.

"Oh no! Hurry! We have to go! We can not be found with that!" William exclaimed indicating the deer, with a new note of anxiety in her voice and the terror in his eyes.

"What the...?" Chao began to ask, but she had no chance to finish, because the boy had already run away.

Without the need to have it repeated, the group began to run after him.  
Soon, as expected, Chisame and Chao were quickly spaced out and before they could call their comrades back, they had already disappeared from view.  
Despite being an ace in sports in fact, the Chinese girl could not compete with the users of ki and magic on the physical plane, much less if she still tired from the final event of the festival.

After a few minutes of running at breakneck speed, the two girls halted panting.  
The rain felt less in the thick of the forest, but the air was still cold especially for Chao, still wearing her destroyed clothes, well as soaking wet now, from the fight of a few hours before.

The girls looked around. The light was scarce, even though the sun was raising: no trace of their comrades.

"Damn! But how can we be finished in Wales?" Chisame yelled, trying to wipe her glasses," That your damn thing was not a time machine?"

"Yes, ne! I do not even know why it did not work ... etchi ! "comment annoyed Chao" That's it! We just needed a cold! "

The sound rang out again, this time closer.  
Along with it they heard also a great barking, this time.

"So what happens now?" You ask Chisame, testily, "Hey, what do we do now?" she asked then turned to her companion.

"Now you hide and let it be silent," said someone behind her, grabbing her and dragging on the ground.

Other hands grabbed her by the legs and began to pull her behind a bush, where she found Chao under the same conditions.  
When they were hidden a large pack of barking dogs passed where until just before they were walking in pursuit of a fox with behind a provided number of knights, who surpassed without deigning to look at the bush.

A few seconds passed in silence, interrupted only by the roar of the rain that fell upon vegetation, then the girls were freed.

The girls turned backing away. Ahead of them there was a group of three men, completely covered by long dark green cloaks, their faces in the shade under the caps.

"Luckily we were following you, ladies! Otherwise, you would now be in the dungeons of Castle Grey on charges of poaching!" the voice of a young man come from the closest of the three figures.

"Hmm... it seems that you are not accustomed to these 'wonderful' days..." he said looking at the shivering of the two girls, then he took off his coat and put it on the shoulders of the two girls. Once discovered the face, the girls found that it belonged to a all in all, handsome man of about twenty, with fluent raven hair, long below his shoulders, with a gentle expression and a thin scar across his right cheek vertically, right up the eye.

Chao embarrassed clenched to a Chiasame red tomato, leaving herself pervaded by the warmth of the new garment.

"Now..." said the man always with a smile "I am Marcus Holyway, and these are my friends Erik Strongspeak and Arthur Whitehand. Instead you are ...?".

"Lin Chao Sheng and Hasegawa Chisame." answered mumbling the two.

Definitely they did not expect such kindness from strangers.

"Come on, do not be shy! I would say that prior to make the questions why we are here, you definitely need a hot meal and rejoin with your friends!"

The two girls immediately launched an alarmed look at those words.

"Do not worry! We already know how many are you, and that among you there are definitely magic users, well as a member of the clan of the birds!" Marcus always ended with a quiet smile on his face, but the ice in his eyes, honey colored.

"B-but how...tried to ask" Chisame.

"As I said earlier, the questions later! Now I bring you to the village." Marcus interrupted with natural make "Ah! Erik... remember to punish that reckless of a William! How many times have we told him not to hunt the deer of the baron?" he said turning then to those who were called Strongspeak.

"Come, then: on the march!"

-end chapter-


	3. Chapter 2 - Hopes

Chapter 2 - Hopes

"What the hell means that they are in Istanbul?! In Istanbul? But you have the slightest idea where he is?! Of WHAT is?"

Evangeline A.K. McDowel was furious, to say the least. She had lent his partner to that crazy inventor of Chao Lin Sheng for just over eight hours, and this was able to make it disappear and then make it reappear on the other side of the globe.

When she could put her hands on her... a sadistic thrill of pleasure down her spine.

"Calm Eva. We are all amazed and worried as you are of it, but already we are organizing to retrieve the boys. Then you know it... they can get by in case of need." Takamichi said to her, placing a hand on her head.

"You do not understand! And take that hand away from my head, you!" she said shaking "That city has something wrong: I've been there once..." she began staring into space, as if lost in memories "... I do not... I do not remember, strange! However: it is dangerous! There it is taught magic of the old school! And they are extremely, and I stress the extremely, jealous of their secrets!"

Those present exchanged worried glances: they had never seen the vampire so worried. She seemed almost terrified at the mere thought in that city.

"Well... it will mean that we will be careful, Eva. But I will go anyway to search for that idiot of Negi and my friends." Asuna said seriously.

The foothills of the menhirs above which now the morning sun was raising, as well as active participants in the conversation were also the principal and the other girls in on the secret of the little professor.

"MPFH. Girl, it is not the discourse of 'we will be careful'. As you set foot in the city, they will know that you are there and will act accordingly! It will be much worse than in Kyoto! And there you will not have Eyshun with his branch of the eastern section to watch your back!" Evangeline asserted acid.

"And then what would you do? Leave them to their fate? If it is as you say, who knows what they're doing at this moment to the poor Chachamaru or at your little student!" Asuna countered undeterred.

"Ugh..." Evangeline made as if to say something, then abandoned the attempt making to fall back her arms at her sides and her head on her chest.

- Hit and sunk! - Asuna thought triumphantly.

"I do not... I do not know, damn it! Little impertinent, do you really think I like being here with my arms folded?" The vampire quivered with anger and frustration, raising her head sharply.

"What the hell! Go where you think you and your fools companions! And foolish me!" she turned to the headmaster with a jerk "Old man!" she ordered almost snapping him to attention "I recommend you finding a way to get me out of this dump you call school, because I'll go with them!".

"Come on Eva... you too know that We have tried everything to shake off the curse... and nothing worked." the old headmaster Replied trying to reason with her "And I tell you now not to expect me to come back to stamp allowed! Already a whole day was exhausting, but for a trip to Turkey and return do not talk! I can not do this on a physical level!" Ended anticipating her, seeing that she was going to argue.

"Well, sir... Actually, there might be a way..." a voice interjected timidly.

Everyone turned: it was Hakase to speak.

Seeing herself the center of attention she took a deep breath before continuing, "He-here... we could do as during the last day of the festival. Even if without the original Chachamaru it won't be as effective, with the support of her sisters should be possible to disable, or at least reduce the voltage supplying the electrical circuit that is connected to the guardian spirit of the curse. Of course, for now they are only hypotheses, and the risk is to obscure a neighborhood of the campus, not to mention that when the magic support of the World Tree will come less... but in theory it should work. In my opinion it is worth groped."

Everyone stayed staring at her in amazement.

"Um... did I say something wrong?" Embarrassed asked the inventor.

More silence.

"Hakase. I change my mind about you!" Evangeline had been talking with air more serious than ever.

"Hmm... brilliant solution, Miss Saotome! I think our little blonde friend wants to try as soon as possible if it works, then I suggest you hurry to the magic security offices, I warn them of your arrival!" the headmaster said with serene air , earning a glare in the meantime by Eva.

"Y-yes, now!" She said quickly Hakase before leaving.

"So..." Takamichi interjected as the scientist disappeared from view.

"That remains is to decide who to go." Finished for him unceremoniously Yue, who had been silent next to her roommates until then.

"I'm going, do not try to stop me!" Asuna said resolutely.

"Me too, de gozaru!" Kaede replied firmly.

"Wow... I did not understand a lot, but these magicians of Istanbul seem stronger than what it says Eva... then I'm coming too, aru!" joined Ku Fei.

Shaking her head, as well Mana joined the brigade "If there goes that sort of ninja, I do not see why I should not go there... Of course, this will be charged to the school, true sir principal?" she ended up staring at the poor Konoemon, who had not the courage to answer.

"Me too, and Nodo..." Yue was saying when Takamichi cut her off.

"Honestly, I do not think it's a good idea for you to come. If the situation is dangerous, you are not fighters, you may find yourself in situations very 'unpleasant'. I recommend you stay here, girls."

"But Professor! We want to be of some help!" Yue was thinking frantically for an excuse to come with them, when a light bulb lit in her mind.

"... And then we could trace faster the professor Negi with our pactio cards ! The more we are to own them, the greater your chances of success if we split up!" she concluded exalted by her own words.

"I would like to come as well to recover my Secchan!" Konoka said cheerfully, "Can I grandfather? That is, sir Principal?".

"It would be better not, my granddaughter... but alas the argument of Miss Ayase is well founded, then it would be unfair of me to force you to stay. Just promise me you'll be careful and do not you plunging into trouble... " the headmaster said, not entirely convinced.

"Counting me too and Eva I would say that we are fully booked so!" Takamichi said finally.

"Wait ... Where did that pervert of a mouse?" Asuna asked, realizing at that moment the lack of comments from that petulant being. All made signs of refusal with their head, a sign that they had not seen it.

At that moment they saw running Yuuna, his face whiter than a sheet.

"Professor, sir Principal! Finally I found you! We can no longer find the Professor Negi! And then something very strange happened! We were talking quietly when at some point Ako began to shine! Then in a few moments she started to fly and disappeared in a flash! What's going on? ".

-end chapter-

* * *

**Now that I pay attention, actually the jump from chapter 1 to the chapter 2 can be a bit confusing ...**  
**Let me explain in a few words how it is structured the story:**  
**as you may have noticed, the 'point of view' of the chapters relates to the two main groups that form: that of Chao, Negi, etc ... , And that of the girls who go in search of them.**  
**The chapters will be alternated on the two groups, so as to follow the story in the most complete way.**

**Unfortunately, inevitably some chapters are about the same group (originally it was a unique chapter, but it was too long so I have broken).**

**I'm really sorry for the confusion I may have created, so I will provide the next chapter to flank the group to the title of the chapter, or whenever it changes.**

**Well, what else to say ... I sincerely hope that you're enjoying the story, even if actually now it is not that there is still nothing spectacular.**

**So a big thanks to all those who are following, and I invite you again to express your own opinion, so that I can improve in the future! XD**


	4. Chapter 3 - Welcome to the Past

Chapter 3 - "Welcome to the past!"

_(Negi's Group)_

The journey lasted for what seemed like an eternity.

In a nervous silence, Chao and Chisame were traveling side by side protecting themselves from the weather with the cloak given to them, walking in the midst of the three men.

Marcus led the way, with a firm step he led the way through bushes and weeds while back, without saying a word, Erik and Arthur followed him.

"There... can I ask you a question now, Mr. Holyway? It has nothing to do with the village or who you are." Chisame asked, breathing heavily. She was not used to all that walking.

"Of course! Come on, tell me!" He said without turning around.

"Yes, well... but are we really in Wales? That is... I do not remember these great forests by geography books that I studied! In short, there should be vast pastures in their place. And why we have not yet crossed a road? Even just one of those unpaved little country roads... Then, with a car we can do definitely more quickly... excuse me, what did I say that was so funny?".

"Sorry... sorry... " Marcus answered chuckling "Is that you say things... so strange! One thing? Anyway... Yes, we are in Wales. And no, what your books of 'geography' say is completely wrong. It 's true that there are several pastures, but here the land is primarily wooded! Regarding the roads... well... there simply are not! The only thing that you can call a road in this place is the one that leads from Castel Grey to Cardiff passing through the village." the man replied serenely, leaving quite dumbfounded the girl with glasses.

"Oh, that's it! Here we are!" He added after a few minutes: in front of them opened a gentle slope, on which was built a small village with all the buildings mainly in wood, and one that probably would have become a church in the center, still under construction.

A few hundred meters upstream, stood the famous castle, a massive stone building, completely smooth, of a dull gray color from which effectively started a cobbled path that crossed the village only to disappear into the forest.

If there were no been rain, the girls would have defined the place enchanting.

"Come on, come on, we are almost there!" Their guide encouraged them.

Gone through the little space that separated them from the first houses, they noticed that despite the early hour there was a great turmoil in the small town.  
Carts pulled by oxen passed through the main street of the town going to or coming from the fortress overlying, while some residents walked away holding antiquated farm implements. The rain did not seem to bother anyone, and the air in the city was serene.

Marcus accompanied them through some back streets, right in front of a massive edifice made up of large fir trunks, overlooking the small square with the building under construction.

A crude bronze plaque inscribed with two jugs led back to the building to an old and crumbling pub, but an inscription almost illegible placed immediately under the insignia called him as 'Hostel of the Magician'.

"Name what ever guessed, is not it ladies?" The guide whispered with a half smile on his face, watching the girls surprised to observe the words "And now, with your permission, I would be happy to reunite you to your comrades.".

Told this he pulled from a pocket of the shirt he was wearing, what was supposed to be a key definitely singular: twenty centimeters long, ending in a small sphere surrounded by a raised band.

In a few moments placed it to the lock muttering something, then put it back away with the same speed.

The door opened with a slight creak.

"Come on, come, come!" The man invited them glancing circumspect around. As the girls entered, the three individuals followed them and closed the door behind.

The environment in which Chaoand Chisame found themselves to observe was a large stone hall, with small windows almost adjacent to the ceiling, from which filtered a clear light of a cloudless sky. To heat the room there was a large fireplace in the center of the left wall, while in the middle of the room there was a large solid wood table with about twenty chairs around. Several tapestries covered the walls of the room, except in the wall in front of the fireplace, where there was another door.

Several people were sitting around the table.

As they entered, some of them got up and ran to meet them with surprising speed, embracing them: others were not that their companions in misfortune.

"Chao! Chisame! Are you all right!" Negi was on the verge of tears "After a few minutes of running we have not seen you more! We went back to look for you... but we have not found anything. Some friends of William arrived and brought us here... they told us that you were safe..." he said sniffling.

"I'm glad to see you guys, ne... atchu!" the Chinese girl replied in turn, as opposed to Chisame, that in the close of the teacher was slowly changing color.

"Good! I am pleased to see your happiness in rejoin, and never ever mean to interrupt this joyful moment..." Marcus interrupted in a cheerful voice, accompanying his words with large and emphatic gestures, silencing everyone.

"But alas, I am compelled by my imperative duty to do so. Now I would ask you kindly to sit ... quiet, no one has the slightest intention of damaging your person, but despite this we need some answers, which we hope to achieve through peaceful cooperation." he continued with a persuasive voice.

"Marcus! Can not you see you're scaring them? They're just kids."

The intervention came from one of the figures still sitting.

"Sorry for his haste, but your arrival has created quite a bit of confusion here. Now let me introduce myself to you, Lin Sheng Chao and Chisame Hasegawa: I am Richard Westwind. I was one of the 'friends' mentioned earlier by Negi." the man was in his forties, with a prominent belly and completely hairless in the plump face, except for a large pair of orange mustache.

"Sorry Richard... and you guys forgive me, I never wanted to be rude. I'm just a little... nervous." Marcus looked really sorry.

"Well, coming back to us: the substance of what my friend said is true. So you have the courtesy to answer us bluntly.".

The boys, more and more confused, looked at each other a second then nodded.

"Excellent. First I would like to ask you where you come from: these are not clothes of Welsh invoice, for sure. And your pronunciation, apart from that of Negi, is anything but confident." Richard began to ask, with quiet make.

Setsuna answered "We come from Mahora Institute, Japan.".

The man nodded "I have heard of a land called Nippon, where the sun rises. But I do not know any 'Mahora Institute'. And how did you get here? Better yet, why did you come here? "

It was the turn of Chao "We do not know ,ne! In the sense: there was a malfunction in a magical tool and we ended up here. ".

Richard nodded again "And I can see this artifact?".

The wreck of Cassiopeia was handed to him, and the man examined it carefully.

"What an incredible invoice! Looks like it came straight from the forge of a dwarf! You should know that as you are 'landed' here you have sparked quite a ruckus. Your magic circle was visible from the entire valley! You run great dangers here. The Baron is trying to prove to the world the existence of the magic for years, to be able to use it against the French on the front...".

"Wait! Against the French?" interrupted amazed Chao.

"Y-yes. The French. It is now about twenty years since this endless conflict goes on." Richard explained dumbfounded.

"Excuse me ... but in what year are we?" the girl asked, undeterred "You know, we use a different counting for the flow of time!" she justified inventing out of whole cloth.

"We are in the year of the Lord 1327." Said a grim and powerful voice. It was Erik.  
With the air dazed the girl slumped back in his chair, while others tried to hide their amazement as best they could.

"S-sorry... but go ahead..." Chao murmured.

"Are you all right girl? You are very!" Richard asked worried.

"Yes, do not worry. It's just weariness: it shall pass."

"So, I was saying, the Baron has tried in every way! Capture pixies, summon spirits, call up the winds, alchemy and so on and so forth. Now, if it were even just for case to get his hands on you, or on this object, you risk to provide him the opportunity, between artifacts, magicians and demons you are! ...Do not make those surprised faces, we saw you land... So now anything that is out of that magic circle, then you, will have at thieir heels all the palace guard, or any mercenary available to capture you in the county."

He looked at them seriously.

"And here we come. Our small magic community has so far always managed to put a spoke in the wheels to the baron, but now it will be really difficult! If we have to protect you, we can not at the same time prevent him from continuing his insane research. Some of our informants have just reported for example that he managed to persuade a Child of the Night to provide service to him!"

All stood at attention. There was never to joke when talking about vampires.

Richard relaxed a little.

"At least now I know that you were not here for him. Do you understand the reason for our nervousness? What is Arthur, you're talking with your familiar?"

Richard turned to Whitehand, who stood with his head bowed, as if listening for something.

"We're in trouble. Henry says that the baron has captured a witch escaped from the portal and her familiar. He claims to have seen him speak in front of a guard who was dragging away the witch, a girl with gray hair and ruby eyes, in tears. He is instead a rodent of some kind. Tomorrow the Baron will make a formal announcement and send a letter to the King"

-Chapter End-

* * *

**I would say that in this chapter we are laying the foundation of the story, right?**  
**Aside from a character who is yet to come, I would say that the cast is complete too!**  
**Thank you so much for following me so far! And do not worry, the story I do not think it will be anything 'too' classic, so I hope it is not boring!**  
**Thanks again and see you soon!**


	5. Chapter 4 - Here we go!

Chapter 4 - "Here we go!"

_(Eva's Group)_

"I would say that the situation has deteriorated further ... I would have preferred to leave with more calm, but the involvement of a stranger to the world of magic changes the cards on the table." Takamichi said, lighting a cigarette.

The teacher had just finished reassure Yuuna, explaining her in broad terms the situation, of course without references to magic, and that in a few days would all be solved.

"So let's leave now, right?" Asuna asked impatiently.

"Calm and patience, brat. What we're doing is not to be taken lightly. And much more often than you think, do not have a good plan is synonymous with failure. And a failure is precisely what we can not absolutely afford." Eva silenced her.

"It 's true." Takamichi agreed "And then the continuous fighting of recent days must have wearied you, then I recommend you a good night indeed, the day by now..." he corrected with a smile, noticing the change of light "...of rest. I would say that we can leave in the evening, so as to be in Turkey in the early morning."

The other girls nodded.

"I will contact some of my old acquaintance there to start doing some research and prepare a safe place to serve as a basis for our research." Mana said toneless, walking.

"I will communicate the news tonight.".

As the group watched her walk away, Takamichi received a call.

"Hakase is." He said after answering.

"Eva, she says she has been able to isolate the circuit that is connected to the curse and lowering his power, but only about thirty percent: for now you can leave the school, but your powers will be practically nil. She says that you will need to use external sources in order to cast magic spells. Of course, she ensures that she is still working to give you back all your magic.".

"is all very well even so!" The vampire said with a grin.

"I'm finally free! I'd better prepare some potion before leaving, see you tonight!" ended almost running to the cottage, it was so palpable in his joy and impatience to leave.

* * *

The plane was a last generation private jet.  
The girls did not dare to ask the mercenary where he had recovered it, nor how much it would cost the principal.

As they climbed, Mana took care to give each passenger a small earpiece and a heavy backpack with printed above the stylized image of a parachute.

"Just in case." Justified himself to the shocked eyes of her companions.

Once everyone was on board and they were get comfy, the girl began to illustrate in a professional tone.

"So. We'll get in view of Istanbul at about six in the morning, Japanese time zone, and we will complete the landing at about six and a quarter. Once out of the plane, we will walk at a rapid pace up the other side of the square which overlooks the airport, where the hotel is located. My contact has already book two rooms: the thirty-five and thirty-six. Both are facing the courtyard outside of the hotel and are adjacent to each other. There decide what to do. Changing speech: according to the coordinates given by Hakase, Chachamaru has not yet moved an inch from her initial position. We doubt she has been immobilized, even if she is there since we traced her. Also according to the information received, she would be in a walled ancient crypt under the Basilica of St. Sophia. We suppose she's just turned off, even if we ignore the reason. Once recovered we can extrapolate from her internal memory the information needed to track down the others, if they are not there with her. All clear?".

"N..." Ku was starting to respond when she was topped by a much more resounding "Yes!" of her classmates.

"Good!" The mercenary smiled for the first time "Our stay is scheduled for a week. Let's make sure that it is enough."

The journey was quiet all in all.  
Asuna slept for most of the time curled up next with Konoka, who occasionally drooling murmured the name of her dear Secchan, while Eva abducted admired the view out the windows, kneeling on the sea: she looked really a little girl who watching for the first time a marvel.

Takamichi watched her smiling ruefully it was a long time that he did not see her so serene, since Nagi had disappeared for accuracy.

Mana was talking to Kaede a heated argument, with a quiet Ku watching smiling, while Yue was studying with sternly expression information that ran down on her artifactum.

Nodoka was instead consulting a tour guide of their destination, holding Chachazero that occasionally whispered to her something that made her blush violently.

After many hours of that peace, Eva announced in a stern voice and without any trace of happiness in the face.

"Here it is."

Asuna and Konoka were wake up and all prepared themselves for landing.

The city was splendid view from above, with its many domes and shining minarets, with reflections of the setting sun over the Strait crossing the city.  
But they were not there for tourism.

A few kilometers from the airport, the plane was how hit by something, which provoked a violent shock, but not strong enough to make it swerve.

Pale, Evangeline said "Okay, they know we're here. This was the barrier that protects the city from external spells. It is true that the local magic community has given us the green light... but it is better anyway be on alert. Not all wizards are open to outsiders."

* * *

In a few minutes ended landing.

Mana loosened her guns safe, well hidden under the leather jacket she was wearing.

"Ok let's go."

And she opened the door.

-End Chapter-

* * *

**I know... this seems more a chapter in a do not know what book of war, but really I am not able to give a different tone!**

**Especially the speech of Mana! It seemed almost strange as well to me rereading it, but hey! She is a professional mercenary: I think it is fair that she uses terms like those and speak so professionally, at least with regard to her work.**

**If you have suggestions write them as well!**

**Well, what else to say? Thanks again for following me.**  
**So ... to the next one!**


	6. Chapter 5 - Plans

Chapter 5 - Plans (Negi's group)

"Ako... Kamo..." Negi whispered, realizing who the Welshman was referring to.

"What are they doing here?" Setsuna asked extremely pale.

"There are not others, right?" Kotaro asked anxiously to Arthur.

"Henry says only the witch and the familiar." answered the man, still with his head tilted.

"Thank goodness..." Inugami sighed, thinking of his roommates.

"Do you know them? They are part of your group?" Richard asked alarmed, turning to boys.

"Y-yes! They are a friend of ours and professor's magic pet..." said Chao, yet abandoned her chair, staring at nothing. She had lost all the energy of a sudden, after the discovery that not only they were finished in one of the more isolated parts of Europe, but even they had arrived at the wrong time!

"...but she is not a witch! She doesn't even know of the existence of magic!" Chisame finished for her.

-How, moreover, does not know of the time jump, nor of the same time machine!  
In the same way in which I should not know myself! Simply this stuff should not exist!- She kept mentally with his speech, putting her hands on her head.

"I have to go save her!" Negi jumped up.

"Hey, hey! Quiet boy! Here no one moves before we decide it! We can not allow the Baron get his hands on you: it seemed to me I already said it clearly!" exclaimed Richard stood up in turn.

"You have said she is not a witch, right? Then there should not be in danger in the near future. It is absolutely necessary avoid being exposed!" he declared.

"So you're suggesting to me to abandon a student of mine in a land and a ti..." he corrected on the fly "...and in a country of which she knows nothing except some simple word?" Negi was furious.

Strong gusts of wind began to swirl around him, overturning the chairs and turning off the chimney.

If the magicians were impressed by the power demonstrated by the teacher, they do not gave him to see.

"Erik." Richard said simply.

The man, quite impressive in size, with a thick head of hair and a long blonde beard, took a deep breath.

Then, with a voice like the rumble of thunder, uttered a single word full of arcane power.

The winds were raging around the room were suddenly muted and Negi for a moment felt as if he had been hit hard enough by gouge out the breath.

Even Setsuna and Kotaro, snapped in defense of their friend, seemed to be affected with pain written on their face.

"Thank you Erik." Richard said, sitting down again after having raised the chair.

"Now calm down Negi, and sit down."

Negi looked at his hands: he felt as empty.  
A feeling that he could not remember having ever tried, and that honestly he did not like at all.  
It was as if he had been taken away something really important.

Trying to figure out what was happening, he too sat down, following the advice of man.

"Good. Listen to me, Negi. I never said I do not want to help your friend, maybe you misunderstood. Like you, she's definitely get here with the help of magic, then surely we have to take her away from the clutches of the Baron. What I'm trying to say is that we have to move with extreme caution."

In the room were heard two thuds.

Looking from where they originated, those present saw Setsuna and Kotaro slumped to the ground, a prey to violent spasms, and with expressions of excruciating pain in the face, while Chachamaru remained motionless with a vacant look next to them.

"The...ma...gi...c..." the swordswoman was repeating more and more feebly.

"What's going on? Setsuna! Kotaro!" Negi rushed to rescue them, then realized: he felt drained by the magical power. Even the air was completely devoid.

"But how ...?".

"Soon Erik! Restore the Mana! I forgot the demon bloodlines!"

Another roar, another word as old as powerful rang again in the air.

Setsuna and Kotaro again began to breathe slowly, more and more regularly while coming shocked by some last spasms, and with a series of audible "beep" Chachamaru came back active, looking around with a disoriented air.

Chao, and Chisame, meanwhile, had neither warned nor understood anything about that strange scene.

Of course they were worried about their companions, but however they did not understand the reason of what they had witnessed.

"How did you do?" Negi asked, getting up, and staring Richard look very serious.

"Erik is the last descendant of the Celtic Druids who inhabited these lands for over a millennium ago. It is their secret, and he does not share it with anyone, not even us."

"Excuse me, Professor? But what happened? Setsuna and Kotaro are fine? Why..." Chisame began asking a questioning look and worried at the same time.

"Yes, they're fine. You see, somehow Mr. Erik was able to clear the entire Mana in the room. Setsuna and Kotaro, being half demon, live partly thanks to this element, which allows them to maintain the integrity of their material bodies at an unconscious level, while for Chachamaru it represents the energy that sustains her." the professor began to explain, recalling to the memory the various books read at the Magic Academy.

But seeing the student even more confused he tried to simplify.

"The body of a demon is not of this world. They come from another place, we can call it 'plane' of existence. Now, if we remove the magic, Mana if you call it with its archaic name, which acts as a 'glue' with the plane on which they are called, in our case, ours, the demonic parts tend to return to their own. But this is not possible for half demons, which possess as well as its name implies human parts, not able to travel freely between the planes. The result is as if someone tried to snatch to the holder entire parts of the body sometimes just fractions of cells or genetic code, causing horrible suffering. Generalizing, the cancellation of Mana in the target for the time of contact, is the principle of the artifact of Asuna. For this it is perfect against the demons... However, we humans have a much more approximate perception of such energy, then you must not be surprised if you have not perceived anything in its cancellation. Since you're not using it regularly for you is as well not exist."

While the student remained fascinated by the explanation and tried to assimilate it all, those present were assured that the two were good.

After which everyone went back to the main topic.

"As I was saying before, of course, we will arrange to save your friend, but we will go just us. You will have to stay here safe." Richard said.

"No. I'll come too." Negi said firmly.

"And I'll go with him." Asserted the swordswoman, with no more traces of suffering in the face.

"I assure you that you will need my help as well!" Kotaro inserted himself, with a half smile.

"And do not try to stop us." Ruled immediately Negi "We can not abandon a friend."

He turned to Chao and Chisame "Excuse me very much, but I would ask you to stay here." He immediately hurried to explain shaking hands "N-not because I do not want you with me, but here is... not being able to use magic nor ki..."

"We understand little Negi, ne! Do not worry, we'll be quiet here," she said with a sigh Chao, throwing her arms on the shoulders of the Cyborg and the Net-idol.

The first did not seem very convinced, while the second changed a wide range of expressions within a few seconds, which ranged from surprised to angry, going for a few moments of disappointment and annoyance of stopping on that not required contact.

"As for you, Chachamaru" Negi continued staring at the mechanical girl "I would like you to stay with them, to protect them. Counting on you!" he finished smiling.

"Y-yes. As you wish." Chachamaru said, bowing her head slightly, her voice embarrassed.

Negi turned to the four magicians, looking determined.

"The young master seemest so decided, and you certainly can not deny that any aid would be convenient to us, is not it Richard?" Marcus said with a wry smile and a shrug.

"Henry says that the safety of the castle is not well-provided today. For us they can come." Arthur nodded.

"I will not go. Better if you have someone to cover your shoulders while you snuck into the castle of the Baron. His anger and desire for revenge will be terrible when the prey will disappear, and we already know about who shall lay his first attention." Erik announced calm, with his deep voice.

"So be it, then." Richard resigned, lowering his head, "Come now. I will show you the castle, then we will wait a short distance to enter under cover of darkness."

* * *

The village was a quivering of life.

The rain had stopped and the sky now a pale sun shone, that illuminated the quiet scenes of everyday life in the country.

The group walked with a leisurely pace, with the boys trying to get used to new clothes given to them, because that older would not be gone unnoticed at all.

Everyone had a rough wool shirt and a pair of beige trousers, with over a broad green cape, like those of their carers.

"Oh! Guys! Here you are at last!" they heard a voice calling from the bottom of the road.

It was William, who joined them in a hurry.

"But where were you finished? I looked for you everywhere! You still owe me say what it was that big drawing ..."

"Dear William! Arrived at the right way!" Marcus interjected, interrupting him.

"Just a few moments ago sir Erik was zealous looking for you. My advice is to hurry into his presence: we both know very well that he is not renowned for its great temperance..." he concluded with a smile.

"Y-yes! Immediately!" the boy stammered, turning pale, and then run away.

"Hehe ..." chuckled the man "I almost feel sorry for that boy, but this time definitely he deserves what Erik store for him!"

They were just outside the village, in the direction of the fortress over it when a big black carriage of dismal aspect darted past them.

It was driven by two big blacks horses, and the coachman was completely covered and hooded, despite the temperature fairly mild and the sun in the sky.

Even more disturbing was that the coach, despite the size no sound came out to its passage, if not the patter of the powerful steeds on the ground.  
As it passed, it left behind a stinging frost.

The group shivered.

"Who can visit Castel Grey with such transportation? I do not remember of Lords in this area with taste... so eccentric." Marcus said.

"It must be the awaited guest of Baron... and he must also be quite powerful to travel in broad daylight!" Richard answered.

"We hope that his stay does not exceed the day."

* * *

The castle was of considerable size, and Negi was sure hehaving seen it before, but he could not remember where.

It was entirely built from blocks off dull gray stone, with large windows that could be seen over the high walls, studded with battlements and loopholes.

Setsuna and Kotaro were amazed by the architectural diversity than the eastern castles, and stared amazed at the fortress for several minutes.

After a brief tour of patrol, the six improvised companions agreed that the best method of entry would be flying, after which they hid in a patch of woods a little further upstream and waited for nightfall.

* * *

"Ok, they have established a plan of entry. Now they wait for the night to enter." Chisame brought back to her companions, after putting away the Pactio card.

"Even telepathy... but you think!" she said in a low voice, shaking her head.

They also had changed clothes and all were trying to pass the time at the beautiful and better.

Chisame tried to ignore the catastrophic events that were disrupting her existence trying unsuccessfully to update her web page, Chao had put herself behind the repair of Cassiopeia, with very little results, while Chachamaru just watched sitting at the table before one then the other.

Erik had left them alone shortly before saying of having to complete two or three errands in the village, and that he would be back soon.

"They say also that recently the vampire has arrived, commenting on his way to travel quite cheerful." Then she continued serious.

"Ah! Henry, or as he's called, claimed to have discovered the name "

-as if it would do any good...- she added to herself with a note of sarcasm.

"If you care about he is known as Count Herbert von Shulter directly that nothing less from Transylvania. It has come a long way this guy!"

As she said it she saw Chachamaru get up suddenly and intensely staring at her.

"You said Herbert von Shulter? Are you sure?" she asked extremely serious.

"Yes, why?" Chisame said, dumbfounded.

"Do you know him?" Chao said stopping work.

"My master told me about him, once. She described him as a rejection of society, a crazy and a violent. She spoke with such contempt and hostility that I had never heard come out of her lips. She said he was unfortunately also 'pretty darn powerful, that damn bastard' Quoting her words. After that forbade me return to the subject." said the android.

"Maybe it's better if I refer to the professor." Chisame said worried.

-End Chapter-


	7. Chapter 6 - And rescues

**IMPORTANT! YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!**

**I have to make an introduction before this chapter.**

**The content might be a bit 'strong' in some of its points, so I do not recommend reading to those who gory scenes or where there is blood can be bothersome.**

**I'm very sorry, but I've noticed now that the category by the history must be changed in MA due to some content on this and some other chapters, precisely for the above mentioned 'strong scenes'.**

**I want to clarify that these are only some descriptive references, NOT the entire chapter / story, which remains something I hope enough light, but unfortunately I found them to make the inevitable climax of the chapter and highlight the character of a character.**

**I am extremely sorry for this and having to do this so suddenly, but I do not want to go against any rules of the site, and I find it only right to point out that in this story there are things like that.**

**Having said that, I thank you again for follow me here!**

* * *

Chapter 6 - ... And rescues. (Negi's Group)

Night fell quickly.  
In the time spent in the forest, Richard and Marcus had chased some rabbits with magic and, once cooked they had eaten for lunch.  
They then spent the rest of the time exchanging notions about magic or the respective places of belonging, of course not mentioning the time travel.

Silently, the group flew over the walls.  
In a couple of trips thanks to the stick of Negi and a good spell of concealment, it was not difficult.

As they passed the outer court, they saw the grim coach of the Count still there, waiting: the coachman was still in the box, always with the hood down on his face and the reins in his hand.

Greenish flames flowed out from small braziers placed on either side of the coachman, illuminating him with ghostly reflections.

For what they could see, the rest of the castle was deserted, not a servant, not a guard to make the rounds along the walkways.

After landing, they gave themselves a moment to ponder the situation.  
Around them the most absolute silence.

"I feel a strange smell..." Kotaro said, sniffing deeply.

"I've heard this in the past, it seems that of a human being... but it has something different."

He took another breath.

"Wait! There is a human smell too! It 'very weak, and also strangely familiar... but..." he shook his head.

"No... nothing, let's go."

The six shot him a questioning look on the last sentence, then they nodded determined.  
They decided to enter through a wooden trapdoor that opened in the middle of the floor.

They went down into a small hallway, surrounded by profound darkness.

"Raster maskir magister ... Veniant spiritus Lucis: Sagitta Magica, una Lucis "recited in a low voice Negi.

A small ball of light, of a pale bluish began to revolve slowly around, weakly lighting up the environment.

The scene that stood before them made them shiver: in a corner were piled the bodies of those who were to be the guards, motionless, with expressions of sheer horror on the faces tilted in totally unnatural positions.

Kotaro approached.

"Dead. Who did it had to have a monstrous force: the sides of the helmets are crumpled ... "he said, confirming their suspicions.

On the corridor faced three doors all closed, and a narrow spiral staircase, which descended into the darkness.

"Likely your friend will be in the dungeons..." Richard was whispering, when a shrill cry rang out in the room: it came from the bottom of the stairs.

Creepy noises and screams followed, which ripped the silence until then total.

"Follow me!" Incited them Marcus, starting to run down the stairs.

They went down to the ones that have to be five levels: at each landing the same gruesome scene.  
Guards, servants or guests lay broken on the ground, lifeless.

"There is a strong smell of magic in the air!" Inugami warned before descending to the ground floor.

"And not only that! Be careful."

As Negi illuminated the room in which they were just entered, they all had a retch: the floor was literally a pool of blood.

Scattered around, like rocks, lay the bodies of a dozen people, horribly mangled: multiple deep cuts opened up to all bodies by draining the contents of the same, which went to enrich the floor of decorated stone.

"Oh my god..." Negi gasped bending and putting a hand to his mouth, with the Sagitta Magica that trembled on the verge of dying out.

"What can..."

"The Baron!" Marcus exclaimed recognizing the figure farthest, massacred in front of a broken door.

In the moments of silence that followed the discovery, they could clearly hear several muffled noises coming from the room in question and from which, with unnatural calm came out a grotesque-looking figure, who once had to have human origins, but now it very little reflected.

He had oblong limbs, thin and muscular, with thick and sharp nails, almost like a long finger of the teacher.

The ashen skin was stretched over the animalistic's face, his nose pressed up and elongated ears back that ended with sharp points.

Completely glabrous, the beast stared at them with two ruby eyes and a fierce grin: the lips almost non-existent showed the sharp toothing, highlighting the upper canines, extremely pointed.

The being was completely covered with blood, as the object he held clenched in a fist, a small body, which was badly thrown to one side and from which came a faint moan.

"Uh?" The creature said, his voice burbling "And who are youuu?" Bowing his head.

"A new snack for the Count? Arh! Arh!" he's eyes lit up at his own words.

"Oh yesss! You have been kind... to save the effort of seeking to the Count! "what must have been the Count Herbert continued.

"Get thee behind, hellish creature!" Marcus shouted at him in response, pulling out a long knife from a hidden scabbard.

"Igne sancta, daemonium fugit... Et ignis flammae Domini involvent mea inimici, devorabit eorum carnem et incolere animas eorum. Incendii Rubicans!" he evoked immediately afterwards with stunning quickness and speed and an expression of total contempt on his face.

A huge ruby-colored blaze started from the outstretched hand of the magician, wrapping the vampire completely.

Quick as a flash, Negi dived to the side of the blaze, grabbing the former prey of the Count by the arm and dragging it away before it was incinerated.

Meanwhile Richard had pulled out a small sword and began to recite incantations of protection upon himself and the other members of the group, which in their turn had put his hand to arms, or in the case of Kotaro had extracted his claws.

"WHAAAAARGH!"

The vampire went out running from the flames, with the body in burning and a crazy look in his eyes.

"Damned!" He barked.

"A thousand, a thousand and again one thousand more times damned!" and with an unexpected speed he reached out a hand, grabbing Marcus by the throat.

With fury, the monster raised the magician from the ground like a twig and threw it against the nearest wall, which was cracked on impact.

The beast turned furious at his next target, the one closest to him: the Shinmei swordswoman.

Not particularly sure of her chances of winning, Setsuna threw herself bravely to the assault, carrying a powerful blow to the neck of the creature, which however readily interposed his arm.

The sharp blade thrust only a few millimeters, as if under the skin there was a solid sheet of metal, and the swordswoman did not have time to pull it out of that the vampire came to her a backhanded slap in the chest that literally sent her flying away , emptying her lungs from the impact.

Completing the movement of the arm, tried clawing at Richard Herbert, when something bit him in a calf, unbalancing him: it was one of Kotaro's shadow dogs.

While the Count freed himself with a shake of the hound, Inugami multiplied in three copies and began to shower him with blows on all sides, forcing the monster to defense.

Roaring with rage and frustration, the being hurled to the ground one of the copies with a powerful punch, while the other was torn apart by the claws, disappearing.

With a satisfied and bloodied grin he turned to the true, and now only, Kotaro, when something hit him in the back with violence.

Turning, he had time to see Arthur with a bow made of light in his hand, who was throwing a second magic missile.

Quickly, he dodged the shot and dived to the magician, with a single long leap, nailing him on the ground for his right shoulder, stabbing him deeply with a claw.

The man cried out in pain, and while waiting for the coup de grace, he heard the monster stand up and pull the claw.  
Watching, he saw Setsuna back on her feet, unsteady and with a trickle of blood that ran on the chin while her left arm held on to her side. Around her were suspended six Japanese daggers, wrapped in a golden light.

With a wave of the girl, they flew with precision at the Count, aiming his throat.

Four were deflected by quick shots of the vampire, but two managed to thrust bottom in the flesh of the being.

With a tired smile Setsuna fell to her knees, while Herbert tried in vain to remove the blades, gurgling.

"Setsuna!" Kotaro charged the Count, causing him to fall and giving time to Richard to rescue the girl.

Meanwhile, Negi made sure that both the prey and Marcus were alive, after which he began to recite various spells in rapid succession.

Like a flash, he appeared alongside Kotaro, buckling an elbow in the stomach at the vampire, back on his feet, and sending him a few meters behind.

"Sorry for the delay!" He told his friend.

"It's nothing, I would have arranged by myself." The boy replied with a grin.

Kotaro drove off the attack, while Negi supported him from behind with an impressive array of magical darts, which opened several wounds in the charred body of the monster.

The attacks brought by Kotaro made him retreat more and more, also because of the daggers still stuck in his throat, which prevented him from breathing.

Angrily, Herbert managed to settle a strong slap to the boy-wolf, knocking him to the ground with a deep cut in his chest.

"Now youuuu... liiittle magician" he cried in a shrill voice, turning.

...and finding just a few inches from his chest a magician's stick wielded with two hands from the boy, who was finishing to pronounce ... Jovis Tempestas Fulguriens! .

A powerful beam of energy was generated from the tip of the rod, accompanied by powerful winds and a low, deep sound, and with incredible strength he projected itself toward the wall behind the vampire violently digging a path in his chest.

The crash with the wall was tremendous, and made the building tremble violently, though not piercing the thick layer of rock that compose it.

Being stood motionless.  
With an air stunned, he looked at the hole that he had instead of the chest.  
Then, with increasingly astonished expression fell to his knees.

A series of spasms began to go through the body of the vampire, and then transforms them into a burbling sob, much like a laugh.

The head turned to stare at the young wizard, while they could clearly hear the Count grumbling.

"There is a strooong boy... The Count sees this as a gooood meal..." despite the obvious difficulty in speaking.

Then he crumbled to dust.

A strong wind threw open a door and the voice of the vampire rang through the room.

"He'll be back... The Count can not be defeated so easily!" Finally ceased, along with the strange and disturbing phenomenon.

"Ugh..." Negi sat fell, panting.

"What the hell was that? It 's so a real vampire?" he asked, frightened.

"No, they become so only when they lose the path of reason and fully embrace their nefarious nature." said Marcus, who was raising, massaging his neck.

"This particular filthy exemplar, is certainly not dead. But surely he will need some time before being reborn. This yes. Good job sir Negi."

He approached the unconscious body of the last prey of the Count.

It belonged to a girl of no more than ten years, with gentle features and long wavy hair to below the waist, although indefinable color because of the blood that covered them.  
Two holes in the neck indicating where the vampire was feeding.

As he watched that face, that of Negi became paler and paler.

"M-master?" he exclaimed suddenly, recognizing the features and shooting himself backwards.

At that exclamation, as well Setsuna, supported by Richard and Kotaro observed the body and their reactions were quite similar.

"Eva! But what is she doing here?" Setsuna was wondering, while Inugami remained staring at her with an open mouth and shocked expression.

"Do you know her?" Richard asked, frowning, pointing to the three.

Agitated, Negi began to sputter "Yes.. t-that is, no! ...well, here... it depends..."

"A friend of ours is identical to her, so we simply confused seeing her in the face, in this feeble light. Excuse us." Setsuna explained improvising, interrupting the teacher.

"I understand. However she must be the daughter of the Baron. If I am not mistaken she is called Evangeline Athanasia Kitty McDowell." Richard continued, nodding.

"Better to kill her now." Marcus interjected quiet.

"How do she wake up, she will become a Child of the Night. What a cruel and sad fate for such a young woman." he ended unhappily shaking his head and placing the knife at heart level.

"NO!" The three of Mahora stopped him in chorus.

The three Welsh wizards looked at them in amazement.  
Arthur had reached them just before, with a bumbling bandage on his shoulder.

"That is... here..." Negi continued frantically thinking "Let her come with us! In our country we have a cure for this curse, and now that Baron is... erhm... departed, we can make our journey without problems, right?" he asked hopefully.

It felt wrong to bring up a dead man, but it was all for the sake of that young life repeated itself to convince himself.

The wizards whispered something for a few minutes.

"So be it. But remember that she will be under your direct responsibility. What you are about to take is a heavy burden." Marcus said finally, serious

"Make sure you move she away from the village as soon as possible. Such kind of creatures are not well accepted among the common people. Now end up the job we came here for." he finished in a softer tone.

* * *

Ako was in a dark and smelly cell.

She did not know how long she was there, much less why.  
She could not understand anything, since she had disappeared under the eyes of her companions, and reappeared in the middle of a public square somewhere else, full of people who had started to scream and run away.

Even less she'd understood when two big men in metal armor had brought her there by force, despite the protests of the ermine of the professor, appeared from nowhere and still with her now.

She was not even surprised that much that the animal had spoken of how she was stunned.

Shortly before there had been an earthquake, but now someone was coming down the stairs.

Unconcerned, she was curled up in his corner to sob, when a light lit up.

"Aniki!" She felt Kamo exult on her shoulders.

-Wha... - she said to herself, looking up.

"Ako! Thank goodness you're okay!" said the boy throwing himself at her neck, after literally broke down the door of the cell.

"Professor?" She asked incredulously with tears in his eyes.

"B-but what are you doing here? Where are we?"

She then saw Setsuna down the stairs supported by a large man.

"Sakurazaki! You're here too!" now Ako was literally crying with joy when she saw the condition of his companions.

Blanching, she pushed away the professor for a better view.

"B-but y-y-you are hurt! You're c-covered with b-bloo..." she stammered, collapsing to the ground unconscious.

"I told yuo that it was better if I dropped before..." the swordswoman said with a sigh.

"It 's true..." Negi said, running a hand through his hair.

"Kamo! Are you there too! But what are you doing here? "He then asked the ermine.

"Well, Aniki... I was following this sex... interesting girl dressed as a nurse, when we found ourselves to fly and teleported somewhere out here. "explained the pet.

"I see... We will review the situation in the inn. Come on let's go! The others are waiting for us up there!"

-End Chapter-

* * *

**I'm back! Phew ... I hope I did a good job in the fight scenes! I do not think they are too difficult to follow, but this is just my opinion, so ...**

**And here's a turning point in history! You did not expect it? (But yes, You surely say ...-_-)**

**What did you think of Herbert? Please let me know!**

**P.S. - From now at the bottom of the chapter I will post the English translations of the original spells that are spoken by the characters (in this chapter they are all in Latin), so that it is understandable what the characters are doing! Surely it was interesting to write them!**

[Latin]  
Igne sancta, daemonium fugit... Et ignis flammae Domini involvent mea inimici, devorabit eorum carnem et incolere animas eorum. Incendii Rubicans!

[English]  
And the burning flames of the Lord wrap my enemies, and that they devour their flesh and haunt their souls. Crimson Conflagration!

**Sorry if I spelled wrong in Latin, unfortunately it is a language I do not know. If you have best versions do not save yourself from tell me!**


	8. Chapter 7 - Memories

Chapter 7 - Memories

_(Negi's Group)_

The return to the inn was accompanied by a calm and relaxing silence.

As they flew over the walls for the second time that night, they noticed that the black coach and his unsettling coachman had disappeared.

As they entered the inn they were greeted by a tense silence, replaced by dismay on the faces of the students as they see their friends bruised and covered with blood.

Immediately they went to help them, but after that was insistently assured them that there was nothing serious, apart from Arthur, they calmed down a little.

Were explained in detail all the events of that long night, omitting only the elements in the view of the gruesome massacre.

At the presentation of Eva, Negi made it clear to his increasingly amazed students with an eloquent glance that they should preserve their questions for later, when they would be alone.

Ako and the young girl were cleaned in a tub of warm water and changed from their classmates, only to be laid on small beds in the room of which it gave the door in front of the fireplace.

Finished the report, a nervous silence fell in the room.

"Excuse us..." Negi began after a minute of reflection.

"Mr. Richard, Mr. Marcus and Mr. Arthur... here... you could leave us alone for a few minutes? Not to sound rude, but we would like to discuss among ourselves about our future..."

He smiled the irony of the phrase just spoken.

"Of course, we understand. Do not worry. If you need us, we are in real inn." Richard said serene "So we will take advantage as well to medicate Arthur."

"Uh? Real inn? Was not this?" Chao asked in astonishment.

"No, no..." Marcus said, chuckling, "This is just a fictional place created by us as not to be found in case of problems. To enter the real inn you just get out of here and re-open the door without first hit it with the wand."

Told this, the three got up and went out.

After a few moments of silence, Chachamaru spoke.

"Excuse me, professor, but what you meant to do before, calling that little girl as my master?" she asked in a interrogative voice.

"Absolutely nothing. That, simply, is her name. And now she's a vampire. Look at her carefully: they are identical! There can not be a mistake."

Sceptically, all the girls stood around to Eva, watching her.

"Indeed it seems she..." Chisame said amazed.

"She can not be her, she looks so sweet!" Asserted Kotaro.

"Instead she could, considering the time travel. But this would mean that she's really ancient." Chao considered.

"Yes! She must be her! She told me just yesterday, after the tournament in Mahora who had lived in this period!" Setsuna confirmed, amazed at how little had passed by their disappearance.

"So... this... This means that it is my fault if she is now a vampire and has suffered centuries for this!" Negi paled, realizing what he had done subtracting her twice over the death.

"No, professor. It is not your fault. If we had not intervened, there would be dead an innocent child. If you really want to be accused of something, can say that you saved her." The swordswoman corrected him gently, trying to calm him down.

"And now? What do we do?" she continued.

"We find a way to return to Japan, I guess." Chisame proposed.

"I basically repaired Cassiopeia... I fear, however, that can hold a single jump, ne!" Chao intervened, showing the clock.

It had not a great look, with some dials dismantled and a hand missing.

"Now we just have to find the nearest of the Twelve Sacred, theoretically Points." ended the inventor.

"Sacred Points?" Chisame repeated skeptically.

"Yes, there are particular points of the globe in which flows a strong magical power, like that of the World Tree to Mahora. Cassiopeia can only work with those." Negi readily explained.

No one in the group would have bet a dime on the machine, but they decided to trust, given the concrete, albeit very small, representing chance to go home.

"And what do we do with her?" Chisame asked, pointing with his thumb toward the small figure of Eva "And what do we say to Ako?"

"We will tell the truth. It would be pointless to keep her hidden magic, now that we're here. Regarding the Mast... Eva we will carry her with us until we have the chance to return in our time. We can not abandon her to herself, especially now, which has not centuries of experience and power to assure her an existence in these dark times." Negi replied resolutely.

"I understand, Aniki. But what you say to her? That you are her classmates from a distant future? I thi..." Kamo was wondering when he realized that the eyelids of the girl in question were beginning to quiver "...Aniki! She's waking up."

Slowly, the blue eyes of Evangeline opened, sleepy.

With an air dazed, the girl watched one by one the many faces bent upon herself.

Then a flash of terror crossed her eyes, and with a sudden jerk she backed away, dragging on her elbows, trying to put as much distance as possible between her and strangers.

"NO! LET ME GO!" she cried protecting her head with arms, crouching as much as possible and starting to sob.

"Get off me! Father! Father..." she continued more and more feebly.

* * *

_(Eva's Group)_

"LEAVE ME!" Evangeline shouted, opening her eyes filled with tears.

Her companions turned toward her, worried.

Panting, she looked around. She was in a room of modest size, over a large four-poster bed.  
A cool breeze was emitted from the air conditioner installed above the window, to combat the heat of the summer.

Some confused memories began to surface in her memory: as when Mana had opened the door, and as there was no one waiting for them at the foot of the plane.

The last thing she remembered was that she had set foot on the first rung of the ladder, then it had done all dark.

Until she had seen him. The being who had cursed her with vampirism, killing his relatives and forcing a painful and lonely existence.

But she still could not understand how she had save herself from his clutches.

She had the memory of some men, and some guys... but the faces of the latter were hidden by a thick fog...

"Are you okay Eva?" Asuna asked worriedly, approaching.

"Y-yes." The vampire replied, stunned "What... What happened?"

"As you set foot off the plane, you fainted. We've brought you here at the hotel in a hurry, where is twenty minutes you desperately muttering and appoint a certain 'Lord Herbert'..." Mana replied, quietly.

"We tried to wake you up, but none succeeded. What happened to you? Who is this Herbert?" then asked, looking inquisitive.

Blushing furiously, Eva mumbled an unconvinced "No one..." when she saw that all her companions were piled behind Nodoka, intent on reading from a big suspended book, with finely engraved the title 'Diarius Ejus' on the rib.

"Hmm... I understand." said the mercenary after reading, without changing expression, while the blonde girl in the bed remained stunned with his mouth wide open and hands outstretched towards Nodoka.

"Poor Eva..." Konoka said with tears in his eyes.

"But who were the people who helped you? Some seem strangely familiar..." Yue asked curiously, looking at the pictures in the book.

"I... I do not remember. Rather, I can not remember. Also seems to me to know them, but as I try to focus, their faces darken more and more. In addition, all the memories where they appear are as faded, incomplete. Before finishing with a big empty." said the vampire.

"It 's so frustrating! But most of all I do not understand why these particular memories come right now, they should be buried from a piece..." her eyes landed on her first doll, slumped at the foot of the bed.

"Chachazero! Do you remember anything? If I'm not mistaken you have been given to me at that time."

"My builders have placed on me seals of interdiction, Master. I can not have access to the memories of that period until I am subject to the appropriate counter-spell." replied, the cheerful doll, like reciting an old nursery rhyme.

"However, Eva if you're able to walk, we would like to start looking for Chachamaru." Kaede informed her, interrupting the abrupt replies that the girl was about to inflict on the puppet.

"Yes, of course. Let's go." Evangeline agreed, getting out of bed.

* * *

The Turkish city was very crowded.  
On the secondary roads bazaar of all sizes and with all kinds of merchandise opened like multicolored flowers.

Like real tourists, often the girls stopped to buy trinkets and souvenirs, or take pictures of the ancient Arabic and Roman buildings.  
As they arrived in front of the lush gardens surrounding St. Sophia, Mana ordered them to wait for her to come back there with the guide who would show them the catacombs.

Eva was both excited and worried by that improvised 'holiday': they had not yet met magicians, so they could enjoy their visit to the city in peace, but that did not mean that they were not keeping an eye on.

After a few minutes, the mercenary returned accompanied by a man of small stature, in her twenties, with an olive complexion and blacks hair cut short.  
He wore a pair of jeans and an orange shirt, on his shoulders a simple red poppy bag.

Mana introduced him as Abid Haanari and just as she did with him, speaking in Arabic.

"Good! If we want to go... this way!" gunslinger translated the words from the mouth of the guide.

Without waiting for an answer, Abid walked to a small structure hidden in the middle of a small grove of trees.

With an old key he took off the deadbolt on the door, and invited the girls and the professor to go down the small ladder that was behind.

Once in the tunnels, thanks to a flashlight and a powerful GPS, he began to lead them through a maze of tunnels covered with niches.

In some still lay their ancient guests, in the form of skeletons.

After a few minutes of walking, the guide suddenly stopped, beginning to indicate a mosaic wall and speak in a calm voice.

"He says that the coordinates we have provided him indicate a point behind this wall: there's probably a room." was translated.

"So we just pull down this wall, right?" Simply asked Asuna.

"Well... yes. But I doubt that the gentleman wants th..." Takahata began to respond.

With a sharp crack, the wall crumbled to pieces when Ku, Asuna and Eva hit him with their means, respectively.

"Just what I wanted to avoid..." Takamichi said nervously turning with hands in his pockets to the guide, paralyzed from the scene.

Looking closer, he noticed that it was not that, however, the cause of his immobility, but a small dart stuck in the neck.

"Look into his pockets, Professor." advised him Mana, behind him with the gun still in her hand.

Takamichi did so, and with a half smile pulled from the trousers a little wand and some phials.

"A magician eh? Thanks Mana. Great job, as always."

The girl replied with a gesture of her head, and slipped off the GPS to the guide and picked up the torch.

The dust of the collapse finished settling.

Besides the hole there was indeed another room: perfectly circular and the floor covered with dust.  
In the center stood a large stone throne, with a figure sitting motionless above.

How was lit, it turned out incredibly similar to a dummy with threadbare clothes on and stringy hair now without a color, due to the obvious prolonged lack of light.

Despite this, the girls recognize in it their friend Chachamaru.  
A slight 'beep' was repeated rhythmic, coming by the android.

Asuna tried to pass a hand over the eyes off her friend.

No reaction.

"Chachamaru..." Eva stepped into the room, and gently stroked the cheek of the partner with one hand.

"What happened to you?" she said in a whisper, to no one in particular.

The room lit up suddenly.

A big magic circle drew itself around the throne, sweeping away the dust over its lines.

Chachamaru suddenly blinked her eyes, watching the vampire with a surprised look, as his body began to be reduced to dust.

"Ma...ste...r..." she whispered with metallic voice and a hint of a smile sweet as she had ever done.

Then her face was destroyed in the hand of Eva.

"Chachamaru!" the girl cried, gasping with her arms where until a few moments before sitting the android.

There was no more.  
She was simply gone.

"Guard seals numbers one, two, three: disabled. Block canceled. Identification intruders... confirmed. Reactivation magic circuits:... completed." A familiar voice rang through the room.

"Welcome, girls!"

All those present recognized it: it was the voice of Negi.

"I guess you're wondering where me and the girls disappeared from Mahora are..." said the voice of the teacher.

"Well... we have limited time... and the story is long. Too much for the residual battery in the Chisame's computer. First of all, do not worry: we're all fine. There are... A lot has happened, here. I will explain better in person when we meet again. I left all the necessary instructions for our return to Chachazero. Enough that she enters the room and her seals will be broken. I'm sorry, but there was not an easier way..."

"Hey! Brat! What the hell are you saying? Where are you?..." Evangeline began to cry out to the recording, with voice full of concern of which she herself was surprised, before being silenced with a hand over her mouth by Takamichi.

"Kotaro asks you politely to say to his roommates, especially Natsumi, that he's fine. And tell that her Setsuna Konoka can not wait to see her again" the magician was continuing in the meantime in an amused voice, while various noises similar to a thud and chatter could be heard in the background.

"And... if you're there, Master..." the boy resumed in a serious voice after a brief pause "Here... I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry. Now you do not understand, but know that it was better that way. Greet Takamichi and the other from us, and tell them that we will never forget them."

Then everything turned off.

-Chapter End-

* * *

**Wow, first of all thanks for following me this far!**  
**I hope that the story is clear for now, as my English.**

**Well ... is not that I have much more to say ...**

**As usual, if there are errors / inconsistencies or you want to let me know your idea write me Pm or review the story!**

**I will be glad to answer and I am well disposed to constructive criticism, so no fear! XD**


	9. Chapter 8 - Stormy Awakening

**I'm back here! Sorry for the delay, but with the school I've been a bit busy lately ...**  
**For now goes like this, but I hope to be able to post more often!**

**What else to say ... I hope that the chapter is of your pleasure, it is definitely quieter than the previous.**

**I recommend, Review and let me know what you think! Until next time!**

* * *

Capitolo 8 Stormy Awakening

(Negi's group)

"Calm down! No one here wants to hurt you!" Negi tried in vain to calm the little Evangeline, who continued to reject any attempt to approach.

After the umpteenth refusal to listen to him, the teacher dropped on a bed with a disconsolate air.

"Give her some time, Professor. What she went through should not be easy to overcome." Chisame said, approaching quiet.

Chao and Chachamaru were still trying to get her out from under the bed where she had taken refuge, but with poor results.

The android was on the threshold of total despair.

In that moment they heard the door open, and they saw return Erik, who raised curious a eyebrow at the sight of that strange scene: a young girl who was trying in every way to avoid being seized by two of the girls, the young woman with glasses and the two little boys were sitting on a cot nearby while the swordswoman and what was to be the witch were fast asleep on two other mattresses.

"Hello, Mr. Erik." Greeted Negi polite "Not that you could help us to calm her down?" He continued, pointing Eva with a nod of the head. He looked destroyed.

A head appeared from behind an arm of the imposing man: it belonged to William.

"What happens Erik? Where have you brought me? I do not recognize this place..." he asked before looking around.  
As he did, he looked amazed at the room's occupants.

"Oh. That's where you were finished today! I...here... I wanted to apologize for this morning: I was really rude and..." he began to say getting into.

"William. Hush now." Erik interrupted him dry.

"You have been brought here because now it is impossible to keep you in the dark. You have to know that I, Marcus, Arthur and Richard are not mere humans. We are the ones that ordinary people defines Magicians." the big man said quietly when he had the attention of the boy, whose expression changed several times: at first amused, then as he saw the seriousness in the eyes of his friend, became amazement, and then stabilized on a look of fear.

"W-what? W-wizards?" he stammered stepping back "C-Come on, do not be ridiculous... Y-you..."

"I'm not kidding. We are. And we always were. And as you know there is nothing to fear from us." Erik interrupted him calm.

"I tell you this now because I have to. But I can assure you that we'd talk to your seventeenth birthday. However, we saw in you a large presence of Mana, we perceived at the very moment when we found you. With your latent power, and the right training you would have the chance to become a great wizard, among the best: a Magister Magi. Now, you have to make a choice, perhaps the most important of your life. Accept this gift, and deepen your knowledge about Art Arcana, or ignore it and follow a peaceful common life. No one will blame you if you choose the second one: it is important that you know that." he ended.

These stared at the boy with stunned expression.  
Even Eva, felt the sudden calm lowered around her, poked her head out from under a bed rail.

"I-I? A w-wizard? But the magic is the result of pacts with the Devil! Y..."

"Absolutely not! I do not remember that neither I nor my companions had ever said such a thing! These are just rumors of ignorant, too frightened by what they do not understand! Have you ever seen perhaps we harm someone? Make ungodly rites?" interrupted brusquely Erik.

"N-no... but..." muttered the boy.

"The magic is an energy, which unfortunately only a few know how to manipulate. You shall not be afraid of it." he continued more quietly.

"I see..." William did not seem particularly convinced.

He took a deep breath.

"Okay. Let's say I want to learn magic, only to hypotheses. What would happen?" he asked then in a quieter voice.

"You should pass a test. After that I, Arthur, Richard and Marcus will teach you the ways of mana." Erik said simply.

William closed his eyes and thought for a minute.  
Finally he opened them again and stared at the man.

"Okay. I'm in. It might be interesting after all, is not it? "He said with a nervous smile.

"Well done! You'll see that you will not regret, William!" exulted the Welsh wizard.

"Oh! You came out Eva!" Negi exclaimed, with a reassuring smile on his face as he saw the face sticking out from under the bed.

Slowly, he approached her and held out a hand.

"Come on! Here nobody wants to do anything to you! I am Negi."

Hesitantly, the girl accepted the hand and allowed him to pull her out of her hiding.

"W-where am I?" she asked, looking around "Where is my father?"

A shadow passed over the face of the teacher.

"Your father... is... has gone on a journey, a very long journey. He has left you with us, we are his friends. I am a teacher, you know? And they are some of my students, even those that are sleeping back there. This, however, is my friend, Kotaro." Negi said changing the subject.

"These are Erik and William." He said, turning and pointing towards Strongspeak and its namesake, who were still arguing.

The child, after a moment of silence, seemed to accept the explanation nodding silently.

"Are you okay?" Negi asked, seeing her pale.

"Y-yes. That is... I'm thirsty... so thirsty... OUCH!" she exclaimed, her mouth wide open: a long, pointed canine had injured her lower lip.

"W-what is happening to me?" she asked fingering her fangs, with expression gradually more and more terrified, "W-Why are so long?"

"Because you're no longer human, little Evangeline." Chao said to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
"You were attacked by a vampire, and this has transmitted his curse to you."

"What?" asked the little girl, her eyes widening "A vampire?"

A look of terror came into his eyes, which welled up with tears and understanding.

"I'm going to be a monster like that? I will not!" she sobbed "I'm afraid..."

"Do not worry, we are here with you." Chachamaru assured her, approaching embarrassed.

"Nothing will happen like that." Negi smiled.

"And you really do not know what delicacy is, true?" Chisame said acid to Chao, who put a hand behind his head stammering a bland excuse.

"Eeeeh?" They all heard to exclaim William, on the other side of the room.

"That's right boy! You will go with them. Little Negi!" then called Erik, doing almost snap to attention the teacher "This reckless will accompany you in your journey home, wherever the destination is, as a beginning of his apprenticeship, making the guide. It'll be good for him. In any case I would like you to ask you a favor while you're on the go, I would like you to teach him the rudiments of control of the Mana."

"Y-yes, of course Mr. Erik." Negi nodded, amazed.

Meanwhile, with all that noise, as well Ako had woken up.

Calmly, Negi and her companions approached, and after a series of hugs and reassuring phrases, they illustrated the situation to her, putting her into the secret of the magic, all accompanied by some practical demonstration.

The girl, obviously in disbelief and scared at the beginning, however, seemed to accept without replicas their revelations.

After the explanation, she limited herself to only one comment, tonelessly.

"So, Professor, summarizing... because of the malfunction of a time machine of Lin Sheng Chao, who is from the future and it is your descendant, we were back almost seven hundred years in the past, in a Wales where he recently broke the infamous 'Hundred Years War'. Now, with the same and botched machine, we must return to the present, but to do so we need the magical power of one of these 'Twelve Holy Places', of which we ignore the position, as well as any activation dates. In addition, you yourself are a magician, Chachamaru a robot and this little girl identical to Eva, and her namesake as you says, is a neo-vampire that we carry along, like the blondish boy who is staring into space a little farther, also promoted to apprentice magician, right? Did I forget something?"

"Yes! That I and your classmate Setsuna are half-demons." said Kotaro proud.

"Ah, yes. Thank you. So Professor?"

"Y-yes..." Negi replied clumsy "Let's say that we can summarize in this way."

"I understand." Ako then said, nodding.

"Now, if you do not mind, I try to wake up. I'll see you in class!"

That said, she lay in bed, closing her eyes.

The wolf boy, looking bored, approached silently to the bed, and pinched in the arm the girl.

"Ouch!" Pulled up shooting the young woman.

"What are you doing?" she asked rubbing his reddened skin.

"Look, we were not kidding... this is real." replied testily Inugami.

"Yeah, right! Because there are wizards, vampires and time travel!" the girl clapped a hand on her chest "How do you think I could believe such a thing so absurd? Excuse me, but I do not think such a thing possible."

"Holy words!" came up beside her Chisame "I would have supported up to yesterday... but I am forced to deny this yours, in my opinion more than right, conviction. All that the brats have said is dramatically true."

"Even you, Hasegawa?" Izumi stunned wondered.

"You are free not to believe me, Ako." said the professor, "You'll see with your own eyes how we get out."

He turned to Erik, who was watching the scene without understanding a word of the speech given entirely in Japanese.

"It gives you too much trouble If we leave in the morning? And ... could you tell us where the nearest of Holy Places? "

"No, no problem. With regard to the location, you should ask to Marcus, as he returns: he studied in the Vatican libraries, certainly knows. "

"Someone called me?" asked the man in question, entering at that time.

"What a coincidence! The boys wanted to ask you right now where is the nearest of the Holy Places of the Earth! "Erik turned the question to him.

"Uh? Sacred places? It 's been quite a long time since I've heard of them last time! So... from here the nearest is still all over the continent: it is the hill on which is built the Hagia Sophia, to Byzantium."

-End Chapter-


	10. Chapter 9 - Ancient grudges

**Here ... only a short pre-chapter note. I realized now that i had written the wrong date in Chapter 3, now I am going to correct. The right one (the time in which they are actually Negi and his group) is the 1327, not the 57. This is for historical reasons (the Hundred Years War in 1357 was NOT going on, that was in fact any of its short years of 'pause').**  
**Sorry again the error, now I leave you to the chapter.**  
**Enjoy the reading!**

* * *

Chapter 9 - Ancient grudges

(Eva's Group)

"Brat!" Eva called as soon as Takamichi let her go.  
The other girls were still staring at the walls, from which the teacher's voice was originated.

"Negi... Girls..." Asuna said stroking a wall.

"What did he mean by that 'you do not forget you'? And why he has apologized to you, Eva?" she continued.  
"It seemed like he had committed some horrible action!"

"I do not know! Damn, I have no idea what he was talking about! Chachazero! Cursed doll! What the brat said to you? And especially when he would have told? the girl shouted in the direction of the angle at which she had abandoned the doll.

No response.

"Chachazero!" Eva called again, her voice more irritated.

Mana pointed the beam of her flashlight at the point where the vampire was calling: it was empty.

Frowning, she left the secret room and looked around: the corridor was empty in both sides.  
Even the turkish magician had disappeared.

"It must have been Abid, provided that that is his name. I thought he would recover more slowly." she said, returning.

Then she noticed the glint of something hanging from the ceiling.  
Enlightening, she recognized the object: it was the Cassiopeia of Lin Shen Chao.  
Without a word she retrieved it, using the throne as a climbing aid.

As she came down, all gathered around to see.  
The device was reduced quite bad: a lancet missing, and various quadrants were removed, in addition to having a thin coating of rust to cover it.  
Turning it, they noticed a fine inscription, where they recognized the elegant writing Negi.

It read: 'Today, July 18th, Year of the Lord 1328. Negi, Ako, Chisame, Chao, Chachamaru, Kotaro, Evangeline AK and William. Greetings from Byzantium. '.

"Wha ...?" Eva began to ask, reading her name.

"Who would be the last two? And what would mean 1330?" she added immediately after.

The homonymous exist, however unlikely, and she did not remember at all from the clock before having met Chao.

"I do not know... but we'll think to it later. We'd better hurry to get your doll before the wizards of Istanbul which by the way, we attached. Otherwise will be a warm welcome for our teacher and our companions." interjected dry Mana.

A low rumble rang out the tunnels of the crypt, which trembled violently for a few seconds.

As the shock was over, the girls went out in the corridor to look for the cause of the noise, but what they saw was only a dense dust.

"I do not like anything about this situation. Let's go out." said Mana serious.

A clicking sound began to be heard in the corridors, while the mercenary opened the way to the group.

They proceeded slowly, it was hard to see with all that dust suspended, which seemed to grow more and more dense.

In advancing, the girl at every intersection controlled the GPS, now crossed by electrostatic discharge.  
After yet another turning point, she noticed a little glint in the darkness before her.

Intrigued, she lit up the area, and what she saw made her shudder: the beam of light was reflected on a large skeleton that was staggering towards her, with two emerald firebrands glowed in the eye sockets.  
The hands were outstretched and clawing the void, while the jaw opened and closed with rhythmic jerks, as if he were trying to speak.

Quick as a flash, Mana pulled out a gun and shot the creature, hitting her in the shoulder.

The skeleton flew to the ground, but after a few seconds he stood up, taking its determined march despite the lack of a limb, flew a few feet away.

"What was that? What happens Tatsumiya?" Asuna asked, right behind her.

"Nothing in particular... some necromancer is trying to block us the way." the mercenary fired another shot, this time smashing the skull of the undead, which crumbled into dust.

"...and I would say with very bland attempts." she finished turning with a slight smile on her lips.  
Before returning serious when she noticed other skeletons approaching from the same direction as the first.

Even these were quickly destroyed, but they were soon replaced by another small group, just popped up.

"Guys... They are pushy!" she commented, starting to shoot.

A small scream came from behind her, immediately dominated by a sharp crash.

"Mana... They're starting to arrive also from here! If we do not hurry to find a larger space to be able to move, we risk of being overwhelmed by their number." Takamichi informed her from behind.

"What's going on? I do not see anything! And do not come on him, brat...!" Eva was yelling in the meantime, from the center of the row.

Mana glanced at the GPS looking for a space large enough and well defensible: there was one, but it was behind a thick door about twenty yards away.

Ridding of the skeletons in front of her, the mercenary shouted to the others to follow her.

Running, she struck down the small groups that she met on the way, until she came to a massive stone door, with a large pentacle engraved on it.

"Help me to open it!" She ordered her companions.

Together, with great effort, they managed to move the door a few millimeters.

As it happened, a metallic click sounded in the corridor.

Promptly, all moved away, when a series of sharp spears sprang up from the floor, ready to pierce, but despite this there was a scream of pain: Yue, too slow to dodge, had been stabbed in the foot.

Ashen-faced, was babbling something through her tears of pain, trying not to move the impaled foot.

"Yue!" Nodoka cried, turning pale her as well.

With a sharp blow, Nagase severed the spear and taken into shoulder Yue, semi-conscious.  
From the corridor were beginning to reach them the undead.

"Quick! Finish to open it!" Mana called attention, taking up to push with all her might, after destroying all the remaining spears.

With a final effort, the girls managed to open a chink large enough to allow the passage.

As they entered, they closed the massive door behind them.

They were in a large hall, with high ceiling supported by two large circular colonnades. At the center of the room, a large block of black marble rose up to about a meter and a half. A slab of thickness more limited there was resting above it: it was probably a sarcophagus.

Five lugubrious braziers were assigned to illuminate the room, swinging lazily hanging from the ceiling, arranged in a circle around the sarcophagus.

"Come on! Konoka, please!" Nagase called, putting gently her wounded companion on the marble surface.

Quickly, a pool of blood began to form in the wound, while Yue lost consciousness.

Konoka hastened to activate the pactio card, and how she had in her hand her fans, she healed in a few moments the foot of the classmate.

Suddenly, the braziers were extinguished with a hiss.  
The blood began to boil under Ayase, while pale greenish fires flared up in place of old firebrands.

Eva shuddered.

A slight breeze stood in the hall, while with a squeal, the lid of the sarcophagus slid to the side.  
A gurgling voice was perfectly audible from the dark hole that has just appeared.

"Heeello, little bitsss!"

The girls drew their weapons backing away, while Kaede took Yue and quickly receded from the foot of the sarcophagus, where she had fallen.

Slowly, a monstrous figure stood up from inside the sepulcher: a black mantle full of magical seals covering it up as if it were a mummy.

When he tore it off, almost like tissue paper, the girls stepped back further, intimidated.

"Herbert..." Evangeline murmured, with a flash of pure terror in her eyes, finding refuge behind Takamichi.

These, puzzled by the reaction of the girl, put his hand on her head, making her gently retreat a little, and then put their hands in the pockets of his suit.

Meanwhile, the creature had started to make smack all the joints, producing creepy noises, then lock with the neck bent, intent to sniff intensely with his nostrils dilated.

"Yooou..." he said, inhaling again, "Yeees! You have his smell!" he shouted, and began to hopping with joy, with a wicked sparkle in his eyes.

"He has done very, veeery bad to the Count!" He said, stopping with very serious expression and looking at the present with a grim look.

The girls looked at each other quizzically.

"S-sorry, b-but could you te-tell us who are you t-talking about?" Nodoka asked in a terrified voice.

"The boy! The prey of the Count!" the being yelled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
"He dared to defeat the Count."

Then he returned to sniff.

"Boy?" Takamichi asked curiously "What boy?".

"Pooowerful!" The creature said with a horrifying and broad smile, spreading his arms.

"With a looong stick! I will use it as a spit: yes! Yes!" he explained as if it was the invention of the century, then seemed to notice something "I feel... AH! There is also the other prey! The succulent and sweet girl!" then bubbled with ecstatic air.

"Come on, baby! The Count was veeery thirsty!" he said, extending an arm towards Evangeline.

The girls saw their companion stiffen, with tears in her eyes and clenched teeth, start walking, unsteadily and mechanical towards the aberration.

"N-no! I will not! Stop me!" the girl began to pray desperately, as she passed next to Takamichi.

The other girls were watching amazed at the scene, when Mana moved up behind Eve and violently pulled her back, taking her by the shoulders.

Herbert made a puzzled face.

"Hmm? And who are you?" the voice of the vampire changed radically, taking on a decidedly darker tone" How dare you deny the Count his prey?"

And without waiting for an answer, with incredible speed threw it on the mercenary, with claws extended toward her arms.

His leap was interrupted by a violent impact with a fist of Takamichi, which threw him to the side.

Snarling, the beast quickly got to his feet, and immediately found himself targeted by a large number of shurikens and bullets, which just even touch the skin.

Again, he dived towards Mana and Takahata reacted again with one of his powerful uprights, but this time, to everyone's surprise, the vampire dodged the fast blow turning on itself.  
The action took place at such speed that the mercenary had time to shoot only two shots before being landed by the beast.

This quickly got up astride the girl and then give her a powerful clawed toward the face.  
Mana was able to parry with one arm, in which three very deep furrows opened.  
A strangled cry came out from her lips, as the vampire took a second blow, which was blocked by a large and thick blade that came between the two.

With a wrist shot, Asuna brought the blade toward the creature, and with a grunt worthy of a bodybuilder levered on the sword with all her strength and her weight.

The blade sank into the creature's chest with creepy creaking and crashing of broken bones, before you lift up the figure from the body of the mercenary and hurl it to the ground nearby.

In a few moments the beast was back on its feet, despite the abdomen crumpled up.

Meanwhile, Nodoka and Konoka were racing towards Evangeline, and they were holding the little girl nailed to the ground: she still was trying to wriggle to execute the order given to her. In the meantime, Fei was also thrown into the fray.

"What's going on? Who is this monster?" Konoka asked while blocking an arm of the girl.

"He's... a Vampire. Mighty. Ancient... It is he who has cursed me!" Eva also was desperately trying to stop, but she could not regain control of her body.

Fortunately for her companions, currently her strength was that of a ten-year-any, given her limitation in the use of magic so, after a knowing look, Konoka blocked the limbs of the vampire leaning above with her own, while Nodoka evoked her Diarius Ejus.

"Too bad you're not Secchan... I should remember this!" she muttered to herself, sullenly.

"T-tell me his n-name, Eva! From what he s-said, he seems to have met with Professor Negi! "The librarian asked with unexpected courage.

"I see ..." Evangeline said with a smirk, "His name was Herbert von Shulter, the last time I met him.".

Quick, the librarian said the name and immediately images and writings began to appear on the book ..

Starting to read, it seemed written by a sick mind.  
Disconnected phrases appeared and disappeared on its pages, images flowed and then become large carmine-red spots.

Nodoka was as mesmerized by the whirlwind of madness, but soon she recovered and began leafing through the diary backward, digging in the memories of the vampire.

In a flash she realized that she had leafed through over five hundred years of history: by now she jumped the pages in blocks, all the same, in which it was frantically repeated a single word, written distorted, almost engraved by hate with which it was designed.

Revenge.

Then she met a page entirely covered by an image: a guy probably fifteen or sixteen years old, with reddish hair and a long rod hanging on his back, surrounded by three hooded figures, were lifting a heavy slab of black marble.

The boy's face was serious and at the same time relieved.

"Professor..." Nodoka recognized him, his heart pounding.

The date indicated on the next page was August 13, 1332.

"Nodoka!" she heard Konoe shouting , next to her.

Turning around, she was just in time to dodge the body of Ku, like a pebble thrown by a slap of the vampire.

The battle was still in progress.

Takamichi and Mana were struggling to keep their distance from the monster, who seemed minimally affected by the hail of bullets and blows that was pouring on him, while Asuna had just suffered the same fate of Fei.

After a further flurry of shuriken thrown by Kaede and her copies, a powerful dark aura began to surround the vampire.

With a roar, the beast threw himself like a bullet towards Takamichi, who with great difficulty dodged throwing himself to the ground.

The Count completely ignored the professor, in order to land upon the door, which shattered without any problems.

As he left the room, a strong tremor shook all the catacombs, followed by a long lament of agony.

Then everything went silent.

"It's... is it over?" Konoka asked, feeling Eva stop fidgeting "What happened?" she continued, turning away.

"I think he fled..." Takahata said , dusting the dress while he was getting up.

"Gi-girls..." Nodoka called, approaching.

"Y-you say that it is p-possible that he is... is the professor?" she asked, showing the page of the diary, which was rapidly fading.

"It would seem him!" Asuna said, rubbing her shoulder "Although I would say that it is Nag... his father." she corrected herself.

The others looked at her surprised.

"Without glasses they are identical!" The girl justified herself, embarrassed.

"He's the brat. He has my ring." Evangeline pointed out after having observed the image, when she was back on her feet.

In that moment Ku reached them limping, with on her shoulder Yue.

"Wow! He was strong, that man!" she said amused" Too bad he's gone!"

-End Chapter-

* * *

**Okay, sorry for the delay. The fact is that these days have been extremely ... 'full'.**  
**But return to the story!**  
**What did you think of the chapter? Maybe a little obvious, but hey! a thousand year old vampire can not be beaten by Negi (no matter how powerful) just like that!**  
**But tell me yours! Do not be afraid to comment!**

**Until next time, hoping to post the next chapter soon!**


	11. Chapter 10 - Let's go!

**First of all: sorry for the delay! I have not abandoned the ff, do not worry!**  
**I thank you for following me here, and I hope that the story is to your liking!**  
**Do not waste any more time and I'll leave you to the chapter: good reading!**

* * *

Chapter 10 - "Let's go!"

(Negi's Group)

"In Byzantium? You mean the Turkish city? "Negi asked, puzzled.

"Yes, though perhaps you know it yet as Constantinople. So you want to travel that far?" Confirmed the Welsh wizard.

"Exactly." Said proud Kotaro, by the side of his friend "Now we should be able to travel without problems, right?"

"Certainly, sir Kotaro. I wondered merely the goal, since it is very distant and difficult to reach, all the more so by a group of only maidens and children, no offense. The journey is almost three months on horseback, finding a passage by sea in Venice, or almost twice as much if not more." Marcus said, simply.

"S-six months?" The young teacher asked, shocked, accompanied by the incredulous stares of his students.

Chisame was bleached, while Chao looked like a statue.

"W-well... there is no choice: we will go!" Negi sighed after a moment "We can not stay here forever."

"Good! It will mean that will accompany you! My conscience will never allow me to let children depart for such a trip without the protection or guidance of a grown man." Marcus replied cheerful, clapping his hands loudly

"In this way I can see the city and some old friends! What a great opportunity! Come on, now go to rest: the dawn is close and you have not slept a wink."

* * *

The boys felt reborn after a few hours of rest in a few minutes they were ready to go.

No one had particular luggage: basically they had ended up in the past only with what they were wearing, at that time inside the shoulder bags that the magicians of the inn had given them.

Wrapped in their warm cloaks, they left the shelter.

The village was quiet. Probably the massacre of that night would be discovered only upon awakening.

With a few words and some long embrace, the Welsh wizards separated by adventurers who, accompanied by the faint first light of dawn, left.

The village soon disappeared from their sight, and was replaced by green landscapes and tangles of vegetation.

The group chatted animatedly of the most diverse subjects: Chisame and Chachamaru were immersed in a heated debate about computers, Ako asked embarrassed to William of that new world, Kotaro and Setsuna were arguing about martial arts, while Chao, Negi and Marcus reflected on the stages of the journey.  
Eva was looking around quiet, with a sunny smile on his face.

"So..." the man was saying "I would recommend to set off to London, once arrived in Cardiff. There, we will embark for Calais. Once landed, if we are in the grace of God, we will find a passage to Venice or at least some mounts."

"Damn... this is really a long trip!" Negi said thoughtfully "And to do that it will really take so long?"

"Unfortunately, yes, sir Negi. But you have nothing to worry about! The days pass quickly while you are traveling, especially if in company!" the man said with a reassuring smile.

"If you do not mind me asking, I would like to ask why you have opted for a so... 'extravagant' goal. It is not thing of every day leave in search of the holy places."

"We need its magic power to operate the object that brought us here, ne!" Chao said.

"So we can go home!"

"I see... I warn you now. Many secrets are kept in that city, some much bigger than you and me. Ancient secrets and powerful than ever, and I repeat, never they should be revealed. Enough that you stay away, and no one will ride dangers though. So do not worry. But now we think about more cheerful things! William, my boy! Come here!" he called truncating the speech.

"I think it's time for you to become a magician!"

* * *

Towards evening they arrived in sight of Cardiff.

It was definitely smaller than Negi remembered: it was a town of no more than a few thousand souls, with wooden houses and a small ring of walls to protect it. A small fortress towered from the town center.

For most of the day, Negi and Marcus had explained to William and girls interested ,namely Ako and Chao, the basics of magic.

During the lunch break, the man had distributed to all a small magic wand and he invited them to try out some simple enchantment.

While the students of Mahora tried in vain to use magic, Negi was astonished not a little, as after a few minutes both William and Eva had succeeded on the exercise.

Still reflecting on their extraordinary affinity with magic and tired of the long walk Negi, followed by the group, entered the city in search of an inn.

On the way there was a flurry of men in armor, despite the late hour, probably soldiers.

"Hmm... The situation becomes complicated, if the call of the war has come this far." Marcus said "It will not be at all easy to cross Flanders and France, with the ongoing conflict. And unfortunately that will not even be easy to find a ship."

"On this I think you're wrong, good man! If you look for a ship for France, and have enough money, I set sail tomorrow morning!" said a voice behind them.

It belonged to a stocky, bearded man, dressed in brightly colored clothes.

"Good evening, foreigners! My name is Clive Sealand and by chance I happened to ear your conversation... and, as I have already said, if you are looking for a passage to Calais, I'm the man that suits you! Two shillings for every soul who comes aboard, and in five days you will be in the land of Eat-frogs!" he said, holding out his hand.

The adventurers looked at each other in amazement.

After a few moments of reflection, Marcus shook the man's hand.

"We embrace your proposal, and thank you very much. I am Marcus Holyway, this is my wife... " he said putting his arm around the shoulders of Chisame "And these are our children. Be polite: say hello to the gentleman."

Chisame had taken on a bright red shade, and was opening and closing her mouth to say something, while Negi, Eva and Kotaro, displaced, stammered a greeting.

"They instead..." continued the magician satisfied, indicating the remaining girls and William "are the ladies of companionship of my wife and my firstborn."

Hiding as best they could their expression of surprise, the girls greeted with an uncertain bow.

"Ladies of companionship? Then you have to be a Lord! What a modest that you are not saying it immediately! Do not worry: I can keep my mouth shut." he asserted with a wink.

"So, see you tomorrow at dawn. Search down at the harbor for the 'Horsea'!" and he walked away!

"Y-y-y-your wife?" Chisame hissed furious, as Clive was out of earshot.

"I-i-I would be your wife? And these brats..." she pointed to the three kids "...and this blond boy..." addressing to William "...OUR children?!"

The girl did not know whether to be more embarrassed or angry.

"There, there ... Chisame calm down!" Chao said with a smile, patting her on the back.

"You're not as bad as a couple, even though I thought it was Asuna the one who liked older men!"

If a look could kill, the one the inventor received would have incinerated her.

Chuckling, Marcus interjected.

"I apologize, Mademoiselle. Unfortunately I have been forced to improvise, and nothing came to my mind to explain the presence of such a group. I chose you for your more noble behavior, but there was no malicious intent, I can assure you."

"That is, there is an inn! Come on... The mast... Little Eva is falling asleep on her feet..." interrupted politely Chachamaru.

* * *

The ship was supposed to be originally designed as merchant vessel, but the captain had evidently found more lucrative the profit derived from the transport of soldiers.

Together with the group a substantial group of warriors embarked, some with a horse at his side.

All were made to stay in the hold, large albeit now crammed.

The second day of the trip, during which Chao had discovered to suffer from a strong seasickness, they glimpsed the land of the old continent.

"First stop! Brittany! "Cried Clive, from his position on the bridge.

They docked in a small harbor, where all the soldiers went down, ready to do battle.

The fourth day they stop again, to replenish food and water.

When finally they went down to Calais, Chao was reduced worse than a rag.

"And we should make us how many days on these things, to get to Istanbul?" she sobbed.

"I pass... rather I walk... " ended up reaching for the umpteenth time her hand to the mouth.

"Be strong, Miss! From now and for quite a while we will be firmly on the ground!" Marcus tried to cheer her up.

* * *

Calais was a town of modest size, with stone walls and a small fortress on a hill at the edge of the village.

Incessant comings and goings of people flowed through the main streets, where some street vendor trying to sell off a few rags or dried fruits.  
People had dull eyes, skinny and serious faces and traveled mostly in silence. At each corner were stationed squads of armed guards and nervous-looking.

"What a gloomy atmosphere..." Negi said in a low voice.

"Is war." Marcus replied "A plague that afflicts these places for too many years, by this time."

"Now, please do not speak except in French, as long as we are not alone. Although the city is under the crown of England, not too many people have a liking to our arrogant king."

Everyone nodded in silence.

Leaving the port, the Welshman led them through that parody of the market, from the point of view of the girls, until just outside the walls.

Here they found a small shabby stable. A lopsided sign hanging with a single support intact.

"Hmm." mused Marcus observing what he had left in the pouch.

"Yes, I think we can afford some steeds, even though I can not define them proud." he said finally observing the emaciated nags that could be seen from the entrance.

A man, to hear voices coming from outside, came out of the stable. He could have been about forty, if not more so: it was thin and pale, his hair already beginning to turn gray.

The two adults began to speak in a tight French, which even Negi and Chao, who knew a few words, were able to understand anything.

In the end, with a sigh, Marcus slipped off by the a large golden coin pouch and thrust it into the man's hand, which looked at it in wonder.

While he was still intent on admiring it, motioned to his buyer to enter.  
After a few minutes the Welshman came out of the stable holding the reins of ten saddled horses, and motioned to the boys to leave.

When they were far enough apart, the man said annoyed.

"Tsk! To me these mounts absolutely not worth a whole pound! Anyway..." he sighed "Come troop! In the saddle! We'd better do some more miles before the sun goes down. "

That said, he rode on the back of one of the horses.

"Erhm..." called his attention Ako "S-sorry Mr. Marcus... but we, here... we do not know... ride."

"And I must tell you that, this mount also seems sooo waving..." said Chao suspiciously, with one hand pressed on her stomach.

The other girls were limited to observe the animals with air intimidated, while the boys and Eva climbed nimbly in the rump to their horses.

Patiently, the magician dismounted and explained to them the basics of horsemanship, the commands to be given vocally and those with the reins.

Just as he was happy with the results, remounted and made them leave.

The landscape was mostly austere and bare, abandoned fields and a few houses ruined.

To pass the time, Negi decided to resume classes of magic previously interrupted, with the help of Marcus.

Together proved to be a good couple of teachers, and the girls seemed to understand most of the topics.

After yet another successful spell of Evangeline, even for beginners, all complimented with her.

"Good, Eva!" Negi smiled.

"And to you other good as well! I have an idea to make these 'lessons' a little more interesting: admitted that Mr. Marcus would agree, we will try to satisfy one desire for that person who will be demonstrated as the best apprentice, upon our arrival. Of course, within the limits of our abilities! This, William, also applies to you."

Seeing the boy's indecision in share in that wacky race Marcus interjected.

"Yes, you find me in full agreement! Come on William! You do not want you to be overtaken by maidens even younger than you?" he prompted the boy.

His answer was covered by an enthusiastic "Yes!" of the girls, some more, some less, excited about the idea of the new game.

* * *

(Eva's Group)

Eva felt a shake to her shoulder.

"Eva! Are you there? "Was Asuna.

The girl shook her head, and remembered where she was, what had just happened.

Something damp wet her chin: as she wiped, discovered that it was drool.

"Are you okay?" Mana asked, approaching while reloading the weapons.

"You are there stunned since you've seen the image of the professor. And you seemed really happy..." she added with a mischievous smile.

"You were so cute!" Remarked Konoka, who had just finished treating the other "you seemed a gracious little angel!"

"S-Shut up, you others!" Eva shouted blushing "The fact is that I remembered... of something. I was traveling... with a group that I met at the time... that was THAT group! The one I can not remember the faces! But now I'm sure! Most of them were girls! And there was a man who was with us... Marcus was called... yes! I remember him!" she mused aloud.

A moment of silence, then she seemed to remember something else.

"We were coming here! In Byzantium, that is... in Istanbul."

"I don't find it very useful... at least do you remember what you should do once you arrive?" Kaede said.

"Excuse me if my memories of SIX HUNDRED years ago are a bit confused..." the vampire replied acid.

"so... we had to... ah! That's it! We had to take advantage of the magic of the sacred point of this town for... for... Damn! I can not remember!"she said angrily stomping her foot.

"Sacred ... point? As the world tree at Mahora?" Asuna asked opening her eyes wide.

"Yes" Takamichi said "Here in Istanbul there's another one. To be exact, is the plateau under the Basilica of Hagia..." he opened his eyes as he explained, his voice lower and lower "Sofia..." he murmured, dropping his cigarette lighted short before.

"Of course!" he pulled a big slap on his face.

"He also left a message in case you had not been there!" he said, turning to Evangeline.

The girls looked at him interdicted, then one by one seemed to realize, and their expressions changed in utter amazement.  
Only Ku Fei continued to observe Takamichi quizzically.

"The Cassiopeia" they cried in chorus.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Eve interrupted, raising her hands-

"Do you mean that they are in Europe in the fourteenth century? You must be joking! And what they would do in there? ".

"I do not really know! Perhaps the clock is broken... Look, it's all wrecked!" Asuna said, shaking the carcass of Cassiopeia.

"So that E-Evangeline written inside... m-might be you?"Nodoka suggested timidly.

"Do not be ridiculous! I would remember, right?" Exclaimed the girl, accompanied with a laugh, and then freeze in the act of the same for a while.

"DAMN BRAT!" She cried suddenly furious, startling her companions "How I get my hands on him he has ceased to live! I'll break his neck! How he dared..." she began to rant shaking her fists.

Seeing how all were staring at her, she stopped to explain.

"He must have put a spell on me to cancel my memories, but I'm sure he has done something wrong! Only in this way would make sense faces clouded or fleeting memories! If only he had not infused much power as I think, at this time the effect would be gone! Exactly how that incapable of his father!"

"But why would he do that?" Asuna asked, confused.

"Evidently he believed there were valid reasons. You also know ,girls, that Negi would never take such a decision lightly." Takamichi said, observing Eva stealthily

"Especially knowing on who he did it."

"Wait! So we absolutely must recover Chachazero! Negi said he has assigned to her the information to get them back! Come on! Out does not seem to be any more!" Asuna exclaimed.

-End Chapter-


End file.
